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So... Starfield's not coming out in 2022 after all. It's not a big surprise to see that Bethesda wishes to play it safe with its next flagship release. And, make no mistake - Starfield is a flagship that is bound to parallel The Elder Scrolls and Fallout in terms of Bethesda releases. Now, however, we're left wondering about our Starfield delay options.
If you, too, got caught up in the hype and were hoping to actually play a new Bethesda RPG this year, we've got news both good and bad. The good news is that Starfield should be a far superior product by the time it does come out. The bad news, though, is that we ought to keep ourselves busy in the meantime!
Depending on how intimately familiar you are with the genre, you may already know that there aren't that many open-world moddable sci-fi RPGs on the market. Certainly, none that would scratch that very specific Bethesda itch, we think. So, our job for the day was to find a list of adjacent games that tick as many boxes as possible.
Your Best Starfield Delay Options: A Short List
Now, we're keeping it safe here with top-of-the-line titles that should keep every RPG lover happy. Odds are good that some of you will have already played these titles. Odds are also good, however, that you haven't played all of them. So, if you were extremely hyped up to play Starfield, we invite you to give some of these titles a chance in the interim: they're every bit as good as you might suspect they are.
Elden Ring
The battle between Elden Ring and Starfield for the title of the RPG of the year would've been legendary. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. Granted, Elden Ring is a very different game from a regular Bethsoft RPG, as it has virtually no elements of immersive sim progression. Combat and exploration are the two key draws here. This very well could've been a Dark Souls 4 type of thing, and if you're hoping to get lots of dialogue, trading systems, and the usual kind of tomfoolery you get out of, say, an Elder Scrolls game, you won't find it here.
If you know what you're getting into, though, Elden Ring is an astonishingly good game. This incredibly deep and involved title takes dozens of hours to wrap up properly. It's got just the very few side-quests to play through, but they're huge, sprawling, and meaningful. To say nothing of its combat-centric progression system.
TES V: Skyrim - Anniversary Edition
Unlike most other Bethesda games on this list, TES V got a substantial visual, content, and stability upgrade with its new Anniversary Edition upgrade. We'll try not to think about the fact that we won't be getting TES VI until 2025-2026 at the earliest, though that's the realistic state of things.
Players who haven't yet played Skyrim - how'd you manage that? - should jump right into it now that it's at its absolute best. Those who've already played through the game, on the other hand, might try to come up with a character that's not a High Elf stealth archer for a change. Either way, there's much to love present here still, old as the game might be.
Fallout 4
Odds are good that Fallout 4 is, gameplay-wise, about as close to Starfield as we could get right now. Here, Bethesda put the good people over at id Software to work on a surprisingly good combat system that's - arguably - more fun than some dedicated FPS titles. We already know that ranged combat, settlement building, and gear customization will play major roles in Starfield, and it's exceedingly likely that Fallout 4 is the blueprint on which Bethesda will base it.
So, mechanically, this is probably what Starfield will play like. Otherwise, the two are nothing alike. Still a must-play, though, especially if you're big into art deco and Americana!
Pillars of Eternity
If Fallout 4 is the closest thing we've got to Starfield, then Pillars of Eternity is probably the least akin to it. Generally speaking, at least. What this is, though, is that it's one of the best modern CRPG titles we've got on the market, and we already know that many players will have skipped it over due to its perspective. Don't do that, though! If you haven't yet played through the game, and you want a bit of RPG love in your life, this is the adventure you've been waiting for.
Coincidentally, Pillars of Eternity is also made by the developers of The Outer Worlds, as well as Fallout: New Vegas. Make of that what you will, but if anyone's got the pedigree to match core Bethesda releases, it's got to be Obsidian Entertainment.
The Outer Worlds
Now, while the obvious consideration might be that The Outer Worlds is reasonably similar to what Starfield ought to be - it's not. As soon as you scratch underneath the surface, it becomes clear that The Outer Worlds is very decidedly its own thing, in that it's a relatively self-contained and moderately linear, narrative-focused FPS/RPG. It's not an immersive sim-alike. It's certainly not a full-on open-world game, either. These aren't necessarily bad things, however.
The Outer Worlds is an amazing game, you see. And, if you end up playing through it and find yourself yearning for more - you've got some pretty darn stellar expansion packs to consider! That's right - Obsidian launched several lovely DLCs with standalone stories and progressions. So, you've got dozens of hours of playtime ahead of you.
The Elder Scrolls Online
Finally, Elder Scrolls Online made its way onto this list because it's, quite simply, one of the biggest role-playing games of all time. It's also the single most comprehensive exploration of a Bethesda universe we've had yet, with numerous sprawling expansion packs that - whaddayaknow - all come bundled with the latest DLC. A massive selection of content, that.
That's right: you can get hundreds of hours of genuinely great playtime by spending a smidge less than a top-end AAA release. Now, to be fair, ESO is unlikely to share much tech with Starfield. It is, however, an excellent opportunity to spend some time in a game you might otherwise ignore. Besides, this is Elder Scrolls. Kinda hard to beat that particular IP, we feel.
Guess We'll Wait...
Sure enough, Bethesda games are buggy. They're not Cyberpunk 2077 buggy, however, and the fact that Bethesda is taking a bit more time to spruce things up for Starfield's release will be a good thing in the long run. Naturally, none of the options we've got to offer right this instant fit precisely the same bill as Starfield would. Some of them target some portions of the niche, however. Depending on your exact preferences, odds are good that you'll find something to keep yourself busy in the interim!
If you need more stuff to take your attention away from Starfield, though, here are a few potential tickets:
- A Comprehensive List of 2022 E3 Replacement Showcases
- What is Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising?
- Klonoa Is Coming To PC!
- 5 Exciting New MH: Sunbreak Features to Keep An Eye On
Besides, early 2023 is going to be here sooner than we all think, and odds are good that Bethesda will - at least - show off some gameplay ahead of time. So, do stay tuned - we'll have more news on Starfield as soon as it comes out!
Get in the Game ! 
