Todd Howard says Starfield has a “unique twist” on the new Game Plus mode

Bethesda Games, while sprawling, isn’t known for having “New Game Plus” modes, a fairly recent practice in gaming where you can start the game over, but still maintain some level of progress you made in the original gaming experience. Sometimes that means levels and skills, or weapons and gear. When you start with Bethesda games like Skyrim and Fallout, you just create an entirely new character and save the file because they don’t have New Game Plus. But Starfield already has it, according to Todd Howard.

howard, Talk to GQ, confirmed the mode’s existence outside of the usual “fresh save” format of most big Bethesda games. In one way or another, he says, it’s different from other games that use this mode:

“Starfield delivers.” [Bethesda’s] The most immersive role-playing game since 2006’s Oblivion. It gives you the flexibility and options to create a unique identity, and even adds a unique and exciting twist to New Game+ to motivate continuous and repeat play.”

Howard doesn’t say what goes between the regular game and the new Plus game, or between skills, weapons, ships, or anything else, and players won’t know that until launch.

It’s an interesting idea for a game with 1,000 planets and advertised as near unlimited exploration and playtime. Some may ask why would you want to start over when there is so much to explore? But the “unique” spin might explain that.

The new Game Plus modes are well received by gamers. It bridges the gap between wanting to replay something you liked, but also not throwing away all of your progress while you’re doing it. We often see New Game Plus modes being patched into games after release if they won’t launch using a mod, so it’s a much needed feature. Starfield is launching with one right from the start, which seems to have pleased most fans. We’ll see if Todd has anything else to say on the subject before launch.

This is one of those times when it’s hard to cover Starfield news stories while running my review copy at the same time because there’s so much I want to say about this specific aspect of the game, but I won’t be able to do that another week. I’ll talk about it later, though it probably won’t be true at launch, lest it be considered a spoiler.

More Starfield news to come as Bethesda delivers more bits and pieces and uh, naughty people are leaking stuff before the ban. Much of the actual coverage is coming a week from now.

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