Updated September 1st, 2023 by Christopher Norman Worcester: Starfield has officially entered early access and is now available to play for owners of the Premium Edition (or any edition that includes the Premium Edition content). Those interested in playing Bethesda's new space-RPG early, but have not yet purchased the Premium Edition, can do so anytime before the game's official September 6th, 2023, launch date.
Bethesda Game Studios has officially released their eagerly-anticipated new space-RPG Starfield into early-access, with players around the world jumping into the Settled Systems for the first time. Coming after the success of Skyrim and Fallout 4, the expectations for Starfield could not have been higher. After years of patiently waiting, even with the official release date right around the corner, many are still wondering; can you still play Starfield early?
Luckily for RPG fans, the simple answer to that question is yes, there is still a way to play Starfield early. This guide will walk players through each step of the required process, which will allow fans to get their hands on the game up to five days early.
Can You Play Starfield Early?
As of September 1st, 2023, Starfield has entered its early access period on Xbox and PC. According to the official Bethesda version comparison, in order to get up to five days early access, players will have to purchase either the Premium Edition (or Premium Upgrade), or the Constellation Edition of Starfield.
This means, with an official release date of September 6, 2023, players who purchase one of these editions will begin to get access to the game on September 1, 2023. The marketing material for Starfield stresses the fact that players will have 'up to five days early access,' and includes the following disclaimer:
"Actual playtime depends on purchase date and is subject to possible outages and applicable timezone differences"
This will likely mean that some players will likely have slightly less than five days access, depending on where they are in the world. Other than that, and barring any unforeseen circumstances - including further delays - players who purchased the Premium or Constellation Edition will have access to the game on September 1st, 2023.
When Does Starfield Come Out?
After the early-access period, Starfield's official release date will be September 6, 2023. The game will have a file size of 126.1 GB for Xbox, and 139.84 for PC. With the game in early access, players can load Starfield and play as soon as they purchase the correct edition. Starfield will also make its debut on Xbox Gamepass on Day One, giving subscribers much to be excited about.
How Much Does Each Edition of Starfield Cost?
The two editions that will allow early-access to Starfield are available at the following prices:
- Starfield Premium Edition: $99.99 at the Xbox Store
- Starfield Constellation Edition: $299.99 at various retailers.
Unfortunately, it appears that at the time of writing, all major retailers are sold out of the Constellation Edition, which is exclusively sold in physical form. Fans interested in purchasing the edition should keep a look-out for any new stock added as the release date approaches. Though they will not have early-access to the game, players looking for a less expensive option can play Starfield day one on Xbox Gamepass for both Xbox and PC.
Starfield is available now for those with early-access, and will be available September 6th, 2023 for Xbox and PC.