Let me preface this entire wishlist by saying I absolutely love Starfield in 2024. I am one of the many who pre-ordered the Starfield Premium Edition for $100, and I don’t regret my choice. I have spent hundreds of hours exploring the Settled Systems, covering the game for various outlets, and making content for social media and beyond. But there’s always more beyond the stars, right?
Here’s everything we want from Starfield this year beyond the obvious, such as ground vehicles and mod support. I think those go without saying, yeah?
Please Let Me Romance Her
Yeah, I’ll admit I’m a simp for this fictional video game character. She’s such a missed opportunity on Bethesda’s part. From what I can tell, the Bounty Hunter on Cydonia features unique voice acting, a background story, and a short questline. That’s more than any other bounty hunter in the game, yet she leans against the wall nonchalantly.
I concede that BGS should add more romanceable characters in Starfield because four isn’t enough. But please, for all that The Enlightened stands for in this universe, allow her to be one of them!
Let Us Start a Business
I couldn’t explain why, but I love video game economies. It’s why I spend a ton of time playing Europa Universalis IV and Victoria 3. But more so, I love playing an active part in them and not guiding an invisible hand from above. As such, I’d love to have the opportunity to open a shop in one of the main cities in Starfield.
We could sell weapons, armor, resources, junk items, whatever we find while looting points of interest across the galaxy! I imagine something similar to Recettear or Moonlighter but with more laser weapons and spaceships.
Over time, we can upgrade our venue and decorate the interior using the game’s building mechanics. Since you can’t sit behind a counter all day, we’ll hire an employee or two—a cashier, stocker, and security, for instance.
More Ships and Parts
Speaking of building mechanics, I know this is one on everyone’s list, but I’d love more variation and out-there ship modules. Everything we have fits firmly into the bulky NASA-punk style the game strives to achieve. I’ll be honest, it works. I do love the current shipbuilding and upgrade mechanics.
However, more would be cool, right? I want laser weaponry that fires multiple beams that twist into a coil and combine into a powerful blast. I want cluster missiles, paint schemes, decals, window stickers, and a topside turret for a spacesuit-wearing gunner to man. Then, how about cobbled-together ships, like the Reavers in Firefly?
Related: How to Change Your Home Ship in Starfield
Better Factions
While I’ve genuinely enjoyed my time playing through each faction storyline, I can admit they require work. Each faction feels empty. You’ll spend countless hours progressing through their questline but never once feel like you’re part of the faction. It’s like you’re an outside mercenary just along for the ride.
I’d love to see a better sense of progression, more equipment unlocked as we complete missions, and a sense of purpose within the group.
Let Us Start a Faction
Unfortunately, it’s unlikely the faction mechanics will change much. But one solution to the Starfield factions feeling bland and lifeless is the ability to start a faction of your very own!
It’ll likely come as a mod from someone much more intelligent than me, but I hope we can form a faction, create a base on some long-forgotten moon, send companions out on missions, and reap the rewards. You could run a mercenary troop, a smuggling operation, a mining company, etc.
Improve Bounty Hunting and Smuggling
I built everything around bounty hunting for one of my first characters in Starfield. I knew I wanted to hang around the Freestar Collective, tackling bounties, upgrading my ship, etc. Unfortunately, as many of you know, bounty hunting sucks. It pays so very little that it’s not worth your time. Sure, this is another aspect of Starfield that mods will improve in time, but I’d love to see BGS release a small expansion that expands upon side jobs like bounty hunting, smuggling, mining, etc.
We could genuinely use a better bounty hunting guild. The framework is there, with bounty hunters in every major city and kiosks everywhere, but the faction itself is barebones. The current bounty hunters offer repetitive, meaningless dialogue.
Then, you have Aurora. A whole questline introduces you to the substance, and it ends so abruptly that you move on and never consider the mechanic again. It’s unprofitable, a pain to smuggle, and Yannick winds up wussing out at the first opportunity.
What do you want to see from Starfield in 2024?
The Guide Hall, despite offering criticism for the game, adores Starfield. We can’t wait to see what Bethesda does with the property, and we’ll have day-one guides for the upcoming expansion!