Bethesda Redacts Gore from Starfield

Bethesda's Starfield initially included plans for visceral gore and dismemberment effects, but these were ultimately scrapped due to technical hurdles. Dennis Mejillones, a former character artist who worked on Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield, explained to Kiwi Talkz that the complexity of integrating these mechanics with the game's spacesuits proved insurmountable.

The intricate details of suit interaction, including realistic helmet removal and flesh-based under-suit modeling, created unforeseen technical challenges. Mejillones described the resulting system as overly complex, citing the numerous variables introduced by suit hoses, helmet designs, and the game's advanced character creator.

While some fans expressed disappointment over the absence of gore and dismemberment, a feature present in Fallout 4, Mejillones argued that such mechanics were more fitting for Fallout's humorous tone. He highlighted the "tongue in cheek" nature of Fallout's violence as a key component of its appeal.

Despite this omission, Starfield, Bethesda's first major single-player RPG in eight years, has still achieved remarkable success, attracting over 15 million players since its September 2023 release. IGN's 7/10 review praised its expansive RPG elements and satisfying combat.

Recent revelations from another former Bethesda developer highlighted unexpected loading issues, particularly within the city of Neon. Bethesda has since addressed these concerns through patches, including a 60fps performance mode. The Shattered Space expansion also launched in September.