Starfield to Add Seamless Planetary Flight

Remember Starfield? Released to immense anticipation in 2023, Bethesda's ambitious sci-fi project received a mixed response from players. Since then, criticism has grown around the game's underwhelming first expansion and the scarcity of meaningful ongoing updates.

Still, there’s a promising development on the horizon: Bethesda seems to be working on a much-requested feature that lets players fly their ships directly between planets. That would eliminate the current system—where you trigger a loading screen to enter orbit, then another to reach your final destination.

Recent discoveries in the game’s code suggest Bethesda is streamlining space travel, though likely with limitations. Players may be able to journey between planets within a single solar system, but rumors indicate it won’t allow interstellar travel. Also, unlike No Man’s Sky, you still won't be able to fly seamlessly from a planet’s surface into orbit. Maybe next time.

References to the feature, labeled "Cruise Mode" in the code, were spotted by fans this week and shared on Reddit. Shortly after, Bethesda reportedly issued a small update that removed these hints.

Following another absence from June's Xbox Games Showcase, it's unclear when Bethesda will officially discuss the game again. Last month, the studio hinted at "exciting updates" coming soon—likely referring to Cruise Mode. Fans are hopeful for news around Gamescom, just ahead of Starfield’s two-year anniversary.

Recent reports also indicate that Starfield’s second expansion and its eagerly awaited PlayStation 5 port have been pushed to 2026. This comes after the lukewarm reception to the 2024 expansion, Shattered Space. Bethesda's Todd Howard had previously mentioned annual expansions, but introducing improved space travel could be a strategic move to keep players engaged in the meantime.