Starfield: Graphic Violence Cut, Artist Explains Why

Summary

• Starfield's toned-down violence was a deliberate decision, primarily due to technical limitations.
• The style also wouldn't align with Starfield's overall tone, according to Dennis Mejillones, a character artist who worked on both Starfield and Fallout 4 at Bethesda.

Starfield, Bethesda's ambitious space RPG, initially envisioned a much more visceral level of violence. While Bethesda's first-person shooters are known for their gore, Fallout's signature blood and guts were absent from this sci-fi adventure. The lack of graphic violence wasn't an oversight; it was a conscious choice, though not the original plan.

Bethesda didn't shy away from violence entirely; gunplay and melee combat are central to Starfield's gameplay, even considered an improvement over Fallout 4 by many players. While initially including more graphic details, the studio ultimately dialed back the intensity.

Dennis Mejillones, a character artist who contributed to both Starfield and Fallout 4, shed light on this decision in a recent Kiwi Talkz podcast interview. He confirmed that decapitations and other violent animations were initially planned but ultimately scrapped due to technical challenges. The sheer variety of suits and helmets in the game made animating such violence realistically, without glitches, incredibly difficult. Given Starfield's persistent technical issues, even after significant updates, this decision seems prudent.

Starfield's Reduced Violence: Technical and Tonal Considerations

The technical hurdles of animating decapitations weren't the sole reason for the reduced gore. Mejillones also noted that Fallout's over-the-top gore contributes to its humor, a tone that doesn't quite fit Starfield's more serious and realistic sci-fi setting. Although the game includes references to Bethesda's more violent titles—like the recent addition of Doom-inspired content—it maintains a generally more subdued and grounded atmosphere. Excessive violence, while potentially exciting, might have disrupted the game's immersive quality.

Despite this, some fans continue to express a desire for greater realism. Criticisms have focused on areas like the game's nightclubs, perceived as tame compared to titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Mass Effect. Adding tongue-in-cheek violence might have exacerbated these concerns, further undermining the game's grounded feel. Ultimately, Bethesda's decision to reduce the game's gore, while deviating from past trends, appears to have been a considered choice.