After the release of the famous role-playing game Starfield last year, Bethesda Game Studios, the developer of the game, confirmed that they will continue to provide ongoing support for this space adventure through new content for years to come.
Several of these contents have already been released in the form of major free updates, with promises of more to come in the future. Additionally, the game will soon see the launch of its first paid expansion, titled Shattered Space.
With a renewed focus on handcrafted content and world-building, as seen in the developer’s previous games, and blending science fiction elements with a touch of cosmic horror, the first expansion of Starfield holds exciting promises. In this article, we will explore all the key details related to this expansion.
The Story
The core experience of Starfield introduced many different factions in its vast world, and while the mysterious faction House Va’ruun didn’t have a prominent role in the game’s story like many other factions, that will change with the Shattered Space expansion. The expansion kicks off when players come across an abandoned space station called The Oracle, which contains a warning message advising them to stay away. Of course, this means they will break in, unintentionally leading them to the mysterious home planet of House Va’ruun.
House Va’ruun was intentionally shrouded in mystery in the base Starfield experience. However, with the faction taking on a more prominent role in the upcoming expansion Shattered Space, expect many of those mysteries to be addressed. According to both Bethesda and Microsoft, this expansion will fill deliberate gaps in the core game’s lore, explaining the reasons behind House Va’ruun’s isolation from the rest of humanity and the consequences of those decisions for the faction as a whole.
The New Planet
The planet of House Va’ruun, known as Va’ruun’kai, has been briefly mentioned several times in the Starfield game, but Shattered Space will be the first time players can explore it for themselves. Upon arrival on the planet, players will discover that the House Va’ruun people – who chose isolation from the rest of humanity for a long time – were conducting experiments on gravity engine technology. However, those experiments failed, leading to dire consequences on a planetary scale that players will now have to face.
Once you arrive on the planet, this will be where most of the new expansion’s events take place. According to Bethesda, the core Starfield experience saw players moving between several planets, which reduced the central exploration and handcrafted design, both of which are known features of the company’s RPGs, which didn’t sit well with many players. However, through the Shattered Space expansion, Bethesda aims to provide a single large site entirely handcrafted, covering all the new expansion’s contents.
The Capital DAZRA
One of the main destinations players will explore in Shattered Space is the city of Dazra, considered the capital of the planet Va’ruun’kai, making it the power center for House Va’ruun. Players are expected to spend a long time in this city, as Bethesda has promised to provide a vast area for exploration, secrets, and more. The ground vehicle Rev-8, which was added to Starfield for free in August, will be available for use throughout the city and the rest of the planet.
Over 50 New Areas
We don’t know the exact size of Va’ruun’kai compared to the other handcrafted planets in Starfield, but according to Bethesda, it seems to be incredibly vast. The developer has announced that the expansion will allow players to explore over 50 new locations on Va’ruun’kai. Players will discover gravity distortions known as Vortexes across the planet, offering unique challenges.
Addition of Horror Element
As you progress through the Shattered Space expansion, you can expect a change in atmosphere compared to the base game. Bethesda promises to deliver a more prominent horror-themed experience. While Starfield did add a touch of horror to events involving House Va’ruun in the base game, especially at their main headquarters in New Atlantis City, this element will be more pronounced in the expansion from start to finish.
New Weapons and Gear
As expected, the expansion will also add new equipment and weapons for players to find and use – this is an RPG game after all. Details on this front are somewhat scarce, so we don’t yet know the extent of the additions here. One particular new addition mentioned is the Gyro Grenade, which likely indicates that we will be using new weapons associated with House Va’ruun’s experiments with gravity engine technology.
New Enemies
In the expansion, players will face many smaller factions within House Va’ruun, as this large group is experiencing internal turmoil due to its recent crisis. However, these enemies won’t be the only ones they face. Bethesda has confirmed that the expansion will add entirely new enemies to encounter, such as the monsters known as Redeemed and Vortex Horrors, representing part of the many threats coming from other dimensions that have invaded the planet Va’ruun’kai after the mentioned faction’s failed experiments.
Release Date and Platforms
Shattered Space expansion will be released on September 30th for Xbox Series X/S and PC through the Steam and Windows platforms. The expansion is priced at $29.99 and is included with the full version of the Starfield game.