Starfield has fewer players on Steam than Skyrim

PCgamesn writes, "The Starfield Steam player count has dropped below that of Elder Scrolls Skyrim, just two months after the new Bethesda RPG first launched."

[TheEnigma313]

Probably because most are playing it on GP. No reason to buy it full price when you can get it cheaper.

[Crows90]

But I thought that the claim was it sold well? If it barely sold on Xbox because of Gamepass then most sales would be on steam no? And it that's the case and there's very few players active...that doesn't bode well for something people would play for years

[Profchaos]

Anecdotally I know quite a few people who were obsessed at launch but they're interest fizzled out around two weeks and then dropped it completely around CP phantom libertys launch.

Seems that was a trend as the last month has been wall to wall releases if imagine most people moved on

[EvertonFC]

The truth is, the game was average to good at best, nothing to set the world on fire and when all said and done it'll probably sell about 4m across Xbox and PC which ain't great but the bigger problem for MS is that it didn't increase GP numbers.
Most GP casuals probably never played more than a few hours etc.

[StarkR3ality]

@profchaos

Exactly what I did, played it, beat it within like 60 hours, initially enjoyed it, and then replaying Cyberpunk made me realise how many elements of the game were below par.

[itsmebryan]

@Crow
How does this change the number of games already sold 9n steam and everywhere else? The people that bought the game could has finished. I for one don't continue to play games after 8 complete them. Numbers may change as new content comes out.
Do you feel a month and a half is not long enough to finish a game?

[mkis007]

Bryan

This was supposed to be a new skyrim. A game that has unlimited replay value for 10 years.

[Juancho51]

It’s a trash game. Only popular because there was nothing else to play on that console.

[Lightning77]

Do you expect the game to have 100, 000 players every month? You realize Skyrim has wealth of content and more mods and has been around for 12 years vs 2 months you also expect pplto ng+ 100 times also? Whenever the new Expansion drops the player count will go up that's how it all works. Plus they plan on sticking with it for 5 years this is only the beginning.

Congrats fail submission post. Next up let's post Exo Primals player count next, Mortal Kombat player counts.

Your little immature hate parade for this game is chilling you need to see a doctor bro.

[babadivad]

It did sell well. Doesn't mean people will keep playing it though. Both can be true.

[Crows90]

So I guess all these millions of players are hardcore gamers spending 10+ hours every day and finishing up the game quick. Doing all the content etc,...yeah right. Its a boring mess and most likely dropped it soon after starting it up.

[StormSnooper]

It says it dropped below skyrim two months after release.

[Armaggedon]

To be fair, Cyberpunk doodoos on Starfield when it comes to presentation and character builds and progression.But Starfield has its merits that have value.

[StarkR3ality]

Thank you! First person I've seen on here take a measured approach to Starfield other than me, it's disappointing but still can be a good time if you're into those games.

[DivineHand125]

I doubt it. Starfield doesn't seem like a game people will go back to like Skyrim. Skyrim is also on game pass for new comers.

[GhostScholar]

I agree. As much hate as this game gets I’m still playing it. Maybe like I’ve said it’s just a game made for me. I’ve had a blast with it, and I think it’s Bethesdas best narrative. It’s fallout in space which is a dream game for me. Im sorry for the people who don’t enjoy it, but I’m not gonna blast a game I have 250 hours in.

[Zeref]

The hate boner people have for this game (even before release) is actually disgusting.

These people aren't gamers.

[boing1]

There are simply better games to play currently.

[Armaggedon]

You meant other games

[boing1]

Yes, and better.

[Armaggedon]

Better is subjective. Starfield s***s on other games in certain aspects, and vice versa.

[BehindTheRows]

What games does Starfield "s**t" on?

[ziggyzinfirion]

@BehindTheRows

The amount of loading screens.

[Armaggedon]

I said it s***s on other games in certain aspects. Games have “strengths and weaknesses” of course.

[Armaggedon]

@ziggy

All of them items and objects need to load and be instanced bruv.

[BehindTheRows]

What aspects? From what I played, it did nothing better than other games and certainly didn't do anything substantially better. So, my curiosity remains.

[Armaggedon]

Let me specify: Starfield has crafting and Elden ring has crafting. This is to highlight that games have their own perks that give them value, and its not always as simple as game A is better than game B.

[VivaChe]

Oh god is the phrase "it s***s on..." becoming a thing now?

[Crows90]

Critically better games.

But you've stated it very nicely. Starfields shits a lot

[Flenter]

The game sucks...get over it

[Armaggedon]

Perception manipulation at its finest

[Rude-ro]

Yes. That is what Microsoft’s marketing does.. pays for hype, manipulates, and drives impulse purchasing.
Through their sponsored content creators and media partners.

[Armaggedon]

I think the game is great.

[EvertonFC]

I enjoyed it, but it felt more like a good 3rd party game than a AAA 1st party game.
As far as I'm concerned MS still has to convince me/gamers they can make AAA OMFG games.

[Armaggedon]

It doesn’t meet industry standards, but that has its own merits. Bethesda is just doing their own thing.

[CrimsonWing69]

Well, it’s been out long enough to beat it and it’s sort of super boring. How long are you expecting people to play this for?

[badz149]

According to Todd Howard,"for many years to come"

[CrimsonWing69]

I’m really amazed people still give him the time of day.

[anast]

More people are still playing Skyrim...

[Stanjara]

My face is tired thumbnail says it al.

[Hofstaderman]

7.5 Billion dollars. And everyone still plays Skyrim released 12 years ago. What a joke, Microsoft.

[Profchaos]

Todd wanted to put all his eggs in his "passion project" over what his fans wanted. I don't blame ms this project was in development for a decade if we believe Bethesda.

In terms of investment COD be worse mind you

[Aloymetal]

Todd's beloved project of 25 years...

[mkis007]

If only he cared more for his passion projects it truly could have been something. Too many compromises. Too unwilling to make sure the engine can do everything needed.

[babadivad]

Running on an engine just as old.

[Armaggedon]

This game cant stay out of the headlines. It gets more attention than even BG3 at this point.lol

[Gamingsince1981]

yeah it gets more attention than it gets players playing it, that says a lot.

[babadivad]

Seriously...

[poppatron]

It’s boring as hell. Why can’t I fast travel if docked at a space station, why make that stupid distinction!!! Why can’t I email instead of travelling across the galaxy to give a message in person!?!? WHHYYYYYY!!!!

[OtterX]

Lol the thumbnail cracks me up. Bethesda-face of disbelief. 😂

[OtterX]

.........she could also be mistaken for one of those blowup dolls w that mouth. xD

[BrainSyphoned]

I want to be playing Fallout 4 but they still haven't released the next gen upgrade. I'll probably never play Starfield. That leaves me with Skyrim till Skyoblivion is completed by people that still have passion and drive to make Bethesda games.

[babadivad]

Oblivion>Skyrim

[Thundercat77]

Starfield is just an avegare mid game. It was never the huge hit people expected and it is totally not any GOTY material.

Xbox community should stop trying push Starfield so hard.

[Sirges]

Amrored Core dropped below dark souls 3

[Crows90]

Was armored core said to be the next dark souls?

[mkis007]

Crazy amount of false equivelence here. Orders of magnitude false. It would at least be better if they were the same genre.

[Abear21]

So do a lot of games. Skyrim is the GOAT for player choice and character building and it’s had years of updates. Not really a fair comparison tbh.

[badboyz09]

I hate Articles like this as if we're surprised. The game was mid all hype everyone knows this move on.

[VincentVanBro]

About a month ago I asked how long this would take, guessing it would be by EOY. Looks like I was right lol

[Knightofelemia]

I don't use my Series X and I won't touch this game. You want me to explore I will explore but it's not really a free roam game when there are barriers. Second I am not a Bethesda fan never have been never will and the picture they are using makes the character ugly and I shy away from ugly games.

[Soulsborne]

Let xbots know the difference betweens "copies sold" and " player count" SM2 already outsold this mediocre chorelist of a game.

[Juancho51]

Only reason Xbox owners were glorifying it and praising it as GOTY is because it’s the only game they’ve played all year. They don’t even have Baldur’s Gate 3.

[alexkarkar]

Crappy, ugly, bleak, boring and moronic game. I hate it wholehearedly.

[jjb1981]

It just works.

[Snookies12]

I honestly stopped playing it. I may go back at some point, it's just not holding my attention very much anymore.

[Hereandthere]

Game was overhyped to hell, and shame on xbox influencers like timdog spamming it was the game of the gen on X to anyone that's willing to read that drivel. It's barely a mid game with graphics from 2008 that runs at 30 fps on console and is boring as all hell.

[sean1987]

Spider-Man 2 has fewer players on Steam than Skyrim also.

[badz149]

Zing!

[Dudeson]

Modlists, modders take it to the next level and hopefully in the future with Starfield as well.

[frostypants]

I've rarely such a hyped game lose hype so fast, especially one with such decent reviews.

[bigfish]

Perhaps that's why Bethesda wanted to sell to MS.

[TheColbertinator]

Waiting for mods or DLC to save this game. Maybe it will be great like Bethesda promised similar to how 2077 took sweet time to get me psyched.

To be fair to Cyberpunk I already loved the game before the year long patch build.

[kayoss]

Tried it on GP for about 2 weeks. After that, i realized No Man Sky is much better.

[Games1st]

Skyrim had mod workshop on steam, don't think Starfield has it.

[koga88]

I know people here won't care, but considering the game is on Game Pass, if you have Game Pass, you'd be playing it through the Xbox App, not on Steam. As such it wouldn't even count a Steam player count compared to something like Skyrim.

[Yusi-D-Jordan]

I’m a massive Bethesda fan, I’ve beaten their Fallout and TES games dozens of times with thousands of hours logged… I stopped playing Starfield after 4 hours. I’m not saying it doesn’t have its merits but… It’s just boring. It’s not immersive, and the story really isn’t that interesting.

[Destiny1080]

Redfall 2.0