By Josh Cotts
It’s hard to believe that Starfield will turn 3 this year, and yet it is still returning to the fray every so often with something new that aims to pull lapsed players back in or bring newcomers on board. Its latest attempt is Free Lanes, Starfield‘s biggest update yet, which functions as an overhaul of certain systems many players have always struggled to bond with. In a nutshell, the patch removes several of the game’s biggest barriers, enough that even I am intrigued enough to start an entirely new playthrough myself once it launches. By the looks of things, regardless of how much resistance the game has met since launch, it is clearly intent on fulfilling director Todd Howard’s initial promise that Starfield was meant to be played for a long time.
At a recent preview event for Starfield‘s Free Lanes update at Bethesda HQ in Maryland, I spoke with lead creative producer Tim Lamb on behalf of GameRant about how far the sci-fi RPG has come since launch and the studio’s plans for its future. Lamb, evidently very enthusiastic about the content coming to Starfield, also expressed excitement about the game’s indefinite hereafter, openly admitting that what he wants more than anything else is for it to eventually be regarded as something players have always had a hard time letting go of—a “timeless classic,” as he put it.
Bethesda Seems Far From Through With Starfield
After seeing all that Free Lanes would be improving on and adding to Starfield, a game that I already loved when it launched in 2023, I was sold on getting back into it, just as many others who have seen the content have intimated. With the update largely revolving around responding to feedback and making the game more akin to what players expected from the beginning, it was always destined to at least raise the eyebrows of skeptics and veterans alike. But that got me thinking about what the days beyond this would look like, so I had to ask Lamb what he envisioned for Starfield even 5 years from now. He replied:
“Well, I mean, I think when we make a game, we always set out to be a timeless classic. And that would always be my ambition for it. It is that, when you look back, you’re always like, you know what, that one was special. A timeless classic.”
Of course, I just had to jest with Lamb a bit there, about how making Starfield a “timeless classic” might mean re-releasing it several times in Skyrim fashion, if not just to ensure it remains on the radar. He took the joke well, too, laughing with me but not adding any other comments. But after hearing that, especially given how many uphill battles Starfield has had to fight thus far, I found it worth considering what it would take for Bethesda’s sci-fi RPG to become as timeless as something like Skyrim or even its predecessor, Oblivion.
Looking at it as a game that is clearly still evolving with player feedback—Free Lanes being perhaps the most obvious example of that yet—Starfield really could achieve timelessness by becoming the game that fans have always wanted it to be. Whether Free Lanes brings it all the way there is still yet to be determined, but it is, at the very least, a sign that Bethesda is fully intent on ensuring people want to continue playing Starfield indefinitely. Even with how many hurdles it has had to overcome since its launch, it continues to surface every now and then with a new attempt at reigniting the game’s initial spark and getting players invested in it again.
But what exactly does it take for a game to be considered timeless? If that’s what Bethesda wants for Starfield—and Lamb’s remarks make it clear that’s what the studio wants for every game it sets out to develop—then it has undoubtedly already been asking itself that question. And what better example is there to look at than Skyrim, one of Bethesda’s own creations that tens of thousands of players are still playing almost 15 years later?
Why Skyrim Is a Timeless Classic
- OPEN-ENDED FREEDOM – Players can ignore the main quest and still be playing the “right” way.
- PLAYER-DRIVEN STORIES – Personal choices create unique experiences.
- STRONG WORLD IMMERSION – A lived-in world with distinct regions and cultures.
- ACCESSIBLE RPG SYSTEMS – Flexible progression that lets players become what they use.
- “GO ANYWHERE” DESIGN – Minimal barriers to exploration and many reasons to explore.
- DISCOVERY LOOP – Every direction leads to something, reinforcing curiosity-driven exploration.
- MODDING SUPPORT – A massive mod scene that continually refreshes the experience.
- ICONIC IDENTITY – Instantly recognizable tone, music, and aesthetic that define the experience.
- REPLAY VALUE – Different builds and choices that make each playthrough unique.
- CULTURAL STAYING POWER – Memes, re-releases, and conversations have kept it relevant.
A lot of what has made Skyrim a timeless classic comes down to how much freedom it offers players, and how the world responds to that freedom. Players aren’t forced to move through a list of objectives and are instead encouraged to make intentional choices about the kind of experience they’re looking for, whether that really is following a questline, ignoring it entirely, or simply heading out into the wild and allowing curiosity to take the reins. There’s a sense there that the game will meet players wherever they decide to go and give them something worth interacting with once they get there, and that’s a large part of what keeps it from feeling rigid or outdated.
What better example is there to look at than Skyrim, one of Bethesda’s own creations that tens of thousands of players are still playing almost 15 years later?
However, that freedom goes beyond what exists in Skyrim‘s base game version, as it is designed with enough flexibility to support an endless range of player expression through mods, community creations, and self-imposed playstyles. In that way, the game is more like a foundation that players can build upon, allowing it to evolve alongside them. That ability to exist both as a complete RPG and as a platform for ongoing creativity is what has kept it relevant long after its original release.
Free Lanes Brings Starfield Closer to Skyrim’s Legacy
While Starfield already possesses several of the elements that have contributed to Skyrim‘s timelessness—like its emphasis on player agency, high replay value, and modding support—there are a few very important things it has either been missing or fallen short of. Exploration has been one problem, as everything tends to feel a bit “samey” after a while, discouraging players from getting off the path immediately in front of them. But arguably its biggest issue since launch has revolved around a general lack of immersion, primarily due to the vast number of loading screens in the game and its heavy reliance on fast travel.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
