Starfieldis without a doubt a Bethesda game, for better and for worse. The space-faring open-world adventure has thevisual splendor and charm of games likeFallout 3, but also the lack of polish and outdated visuals ofFallout 4, making it a great match for dedicated Bethesda Game Studios loyalists, but also something that could use a bit of touching up around the edges.
Enter the modding community. Every time a major Bethesda game gets released, a swarm of talented, creative, and thoughtful modders work, almost always for free, to either improve its shortcomings or expand its content offerings with all manner of skins, weapons, and even entirely new storylines.Starfieldis no different, with mods being released to address practical concerns like the lack of NVIDIA DLSS support, but also for wackier, decidedly less pragmatic purposes. Nowhere is this more clear than in the mods for the recently released REV-8 land vehicle.
Starfield’s Modding Community Is Going All-Out for the REV-8
A Bevy of Mods Have Rolled In for Starfield’s REV-8
Predictably,modders have transformedStarfield’s recent land vehicle, enhancing a feature that was already hotly anticipated by the game’s playerbase. Although it’s only been available since August 20, the REV-8 has already been turned into Thomas the Tank Engine, one ofHalo’s Warthogs, and an all-terrain vehicle modeled after real-world Jeeps. Aside from offering players a fun change of pace, these mods keep enthusiasm for the new feature high while reinvigorating hard-working modders who have exhausted all their base-game plans. More than anything, though, these mods are yet another illustration of the important role that non-Bethesda creators play in Bethesda games.
The REV-8 Mods Exemplify the Importance of Mods in Bethesda’s Games
Ambitious mod projects for games likeSkyrimdemonstrate a shocking commitment by modders to both improve and expand upon the foundations laid by Bethesda’s vanilla builds. The fact thatSkyrimis still getting sprawling mods well over a decade after its release proves how instrumental this community content is in keeping Bethesda’s games relevant, especially given the massive gulfs between mainline entries.
Chances are,Starfieldwill be no different. It’s a big game, no doubt about that, but casual fans are going to bounce off it long before the modding community gives up on it. Sure, other games have mods, but the fact that one of the most exciting aspects ofStarfield’s biggest free content drop is its mod potentialspeaks volumes about just how particular the relationship is between community content and the base game. In other words, the culture of Bethesda games, includingStarfield, is far more defined by mods than most games are, and it’s often these mods that keep the games burning in the hearts and minds of countless players.
A prime example of this modding culture isthe upcomingSkyblivionmod, which promises to offer more single-playerElder Scrollscontent than Bethesda itself has in over ten years.
The Future of Starfield, Bethesda, and Mods
It’s difficult to say what kind of legacyStarfieldwill leave behind. It was one of the most hotly anticipated AAA games for years, and then it landed to a muted, occasionally controversial, reception, and now it could betransformed by the imminentShattered SpaceDLC. But one thing should be clear:Starfield’s legacy will be alive as long as the modding community is active.
Granted, not every player has access to mods, but the modding community is a decent enough yardstick with which one can measure the relevance of Bethesda’s games. Indeed, modders have helped keep Bethesda’s games exciting and relevant for years after their natural expiration date, andStarfieldmight make this more apparent than ever.
Starfield
WHERE TO PLAY
Starfield is the first new universe in 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.The year is 2330. Humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. From humble beginnings as a space miner, you will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of the Settled Systems in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game.
