Rumor: Starfield Images Leak

[Nergal]

 

 

Starfield has been a surprisingly popular topic in gaming recently. That's despite there being no major, or even minor, game-related Starfield reveals for some time. It's Microsoft's recent acquisition of Bethesda that's stirring things up. Questions about platform exclusivity are understandably a priority for many gamers. And now, in the midst of it all, it appears that several Starfield screenshots have leaked.

Three images were shared online via Imgur, which were then shared on Reddit by a throwaway account named Electrical-Ad-8659. One photo features a user interface graphic showing an oxygen gauge and several other elements that would presumably be important for gameplay. The second image shows the model of a large spacecraft. The third and final image looks like a genuine screenshot showing a third-person player character, UI elements, and what could be a space station or base.

It's the second and third images that are particularly interesting. The UI gauge definitely poses some interesting questions about how the player will interact with space. Mechanics for oxygen, gravity, day and night, and so on imply a lot of depth. But until Bethesda is willing to share details about Starfield's gameplay, speculation about those mechanics would likely be off-base.
The spaceship screenshot is very detailed, with the spaceship featuring a huge variety of panels, thrusters, lights, platforms, and so on. The level of detail could mean that the spaceship is quite important. Perhaps it's the player's ship, like how the Normandy is Commander Shepard's spaceship. Perhaps it's another character or faction's spaceship, or perhaps it's genuinely modular like how Destiny 2 creates such a diverse range of ships.

Lastly, the third screenshot is the most curious of all. It could be a genuine gameplay screenshot from Starfield. The player-character is wearing an astronaut's full suit, as well as what could be a jet pack of sorts. The bottom-right corner of the screenshot has the gauge shown in the first image. On the bottom left it shows the player's health, stamina, and what looks like a weapon and ammo. The structure in front of the player is the biggest oddity, as it's difficult to tell what it's for or where it's actually located.

Some might question the veracity of these leaked images or whether they're related to Starfield at all. One commenter on Reddit claims that the patch on the player's shoulder is identical to a logo previously shared in a Starfield teaser image. But perhaps the more pressing question is whether these leaked images mean that Bethesda is getting ready to share more information about Starfield soon.

Starfield is currently in development and has no announced release window or supported platforms.