These days, it is all about performance in gaming. Graphical fidelity is great, but anyone who has played a game at both 30FPS and 60FPS knows how staggering the leap in fluidity really is. Unlike on PC, options on console are often restricted to two modes: performance or fidelity. The outputs from these modes vary from game to game, and after the Starfield Direct deep-dive event on 11 June, fans are keen to know more about Starfield‘s performance on console and if it runs at 60FPS.
Starfield takes Bethesda’s beloved RPG model made famous in The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, and shifts it into outer-space. In the game, players can visit more than 1000 different worlds. Some are barren, others are packed with complex life and thriving civilisations. Wherever you go, there’s always something interesting to discover and the deep-dive showed that it will always be a visually pleasing experience.
Starfield is set in the 24th century, within a region of space known as “The Settled Systems.” This vast expanse finds itself in an ambiguous state of peace following a conflict between factions two decades prior to the start of the game. Assuming the role of a space explorer, you become an integral part of Constellation, a renowned group of adventurers. Drawing inspiration from its predecessors, Skyrim and Fallout, Starfield is an action-packed, role-playing game that immerses players in captivating exploration and a compelling storyline.
But how does the game perform on console? Does Starfield run at 60FPS on Xbox Series X?
Is Starfield 60FPS on console?
After the Starfield Direct event on 11 June, Bethesda’s Todd Howard confirmed that Starfield does not run at 60FPS on Xbox Series X or S. Instead, the game is locked at 30FPS to ensure consistent performance throughout the game’s vast universe.
On Xbox Series X, the game runs in 4K. On the Series S, it outputs in 1440p. Regardless, it is restricted to 30FPS on both machines because Bethesda “don’t want to sacrifice” Starfield‘s impressive graphical fidelity for extra frames.
This news will come as a disappointment to many fans. While sharper resolution is nice to have, many view it as secondary to smoother performance. Still, as an open-world RPG, higher FPS is more of a nice-to-have than an absolute essential.
On PC, players will of course be able to tailor the graphics settings to their liking in order to achieve optimal frames-per-second. In this vein, it is a shame that console players won’t have the choice of reducing Starfield‘s resolution to get higher FPS. Nevertheless, there is always the possibility that a 60FPS mode could be patched into Starfield at a later date.
Are you disappointed that Starfield does not run at 60FPS on console? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
