Starfield’s Performance Locked at 30 FPS on Xbox Series X|S for Optimal Fidelity
Bethesda‘s highly anticipated space-faring RPG, Starfield, is set to run at a locked 30 FPS on both Xbox Series X and S, according to a recent interview with IGN, Todd Howard discussed the details about the Starfield’s quality and performance on Xbox Series X|S.
Howard revealed that Starfield will deliver stunning visuals, running in 4K resolution on the Xbox Series X, and a remarkable 1440p on the Xbox Series S. However, the decision to lock the game’s frame rate at 30FPS was made to ensure consistency in performance, thereby preserving the game’s immersive experience and delivering a truly exceptional journey for players.
When asked about the reasoning behind this choice, Howard stated,
I think it’ll come as no surprise, given our previous games, what we go for. Always these huge, open worlds, fully dynamic, hyper detail where anything can happen. And we do want to do that. It’s 4K in the X. It’s 1440 on the S. We do lock it at 30 because we want that fidelity, we want all that stuff. We don’t want to sacrifice any of it.”
While some might argue for higher frame rates, Howard emphasized that the locked 30FPS will offer a consistent experience where players won’t even need to think about performance. This decision is motivated by Bethesda’s desire to maintain the level of immersion and special feel that their games are renowned for. Howard further shared,
Fortunately in this one, we’ve got it running great. It’s often running way above that. Sometimes it’s 60. But on the consoles, we do lock it because we prefer the consistency, where you’re not even thinking about it.
And we don’t ever want to sacrifice that experience that makes our games feel really, really special. So it feels great. We’re really happy with how it feels even in the heat of battle. And we need that headroom because in our games, really anything can happen.”
No specific details about the performance and quality presets of Starfield on PC have been revealed yet. However, the minimum and recommended PC requirements to run Starfield have already been released via Steam.
These requirements give us an idea of the level of hardware needed to enjoy a smooth gaming experience. Starfield’s requirements are in line with the high expectations set by modern AAA games, highlighting the need for a powerful system.
In recent times, the minimum PC requirements for AAA games have increased due to the inclusion of modern and more detailed visuals. Starfield follows suit with these elevated requirements. It necessitates at least 16 GB of RAM and either an AMD Ryzen 5 2600X or an Intel Core i7-6800K processor, paired with an AMD Radeon RX 5700 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti graphics card.
For a smoother gameplay experience, the recommended requirements include 16 GB of RAM, an AMD Ryzen 5 3600X or an Intel i5-10600K processor, along with an AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card.
The required and recommended PC specifications for Starfield are quite demanding in terms of hardware. However, one question still remains unanswered: Will the game be locked at 4K 30 FPS on PC, similar to the Xbox Series X|S, or will PC players have the opportunity to enjoy Starfield at 4K 60 FPS? Only time will reveal what Microsoft has planned for PC players of Starfield.
What are your thoughts on Bethesda’s decision to lock Starfield at 30 FPS on Xbox Series X|S? Do you believe that this approach will result in a more consistent visual fidelity for the game? Let’s discuss this in the comments section below.
