Starfield has New Game Plus, but does it offer anything special?

Fans have high expectations for Bethesda Games Studios’ space RPG Starfield and the game is set to offer players a New Game Plus mode to offer maximum value. 

Plenty of players never reach the end of Bethesda RPGs and yet still have hundreds of hours in the games. Starfield is set to be the biggest title Bethesda has ever made, so the chances of players starting a New Game Plus are low. Any quality-of-life feature is great to have, especially as fans expect Starfield to tide them over until the next Elder Scrolls arrive. 

So what’s on offer in Starfield’s New Game Plus mode? The answer seems to be fairly straightforward.

What’s in Starfield New Game Plus?

Starfield’s New Game Plus mode will likely work similarly to other games, letting players start a new game with items they collected in their first playthrough. This lets players avoid early-game grinding and blast their way through enemies with a massive advantage. 

News of the option came straight from an interview Starfield game director Todd Howard gave to GQ. Howard also discussed the 8-year-long process of making Starfield and the challenges his team had to overcome.

The exact details of what will be offered in New Game Plus are unclear. The interview discusses the “unique and exciting twist” in reference to the freedom afforded to the player in terms of immersion and character-building.

Starfield will be the first Bethesda RPG to offer this option. Previous games from The Elder Scrolls and Fallout let players continue on in the world, with the game offering a set of generic missions that were procedurally generated after completing the main objectives.

When can you start Starfield’s New Game Plus?

New Game Plus modes become available after players complete the main story or quest line. That is likely to be the case in Starfield.

It’s not confirmed whether New Game Plus will use another save slot. Bethesda RPGs are famous for long, elaborate side quests. Even after the main quest ends, players may have several loose ends to tie up. That’s been the case with most Bethesda RPGs but Fallout 3’s infamous ending didn’t initially let the player continue after the main quest. This was later rectified in a DLC. 

Starfield is currently available for preload on Xbox with the PC preload coming on August 31, 2023. Players can expect reviews for Starfield to pop up before then.