Former Starfield Artist Reveals Reason Graphic Violence Was Cut

Summary

• Starfield's lack of graphic violence was an intentional choice largely due to technical issues.
• It also wouldn't fit Starfield's tone, said Dennis Mejillones, a character artist who worked at Bethesda on Starfield and Fallout 4.

Starfield was originally envisioned to be much more violent, according to a former Bethesda artist. While Bethesda's first-person shooters are known for their gore, the visceral brutality seen in Fallout did not make it into their latest sci-fi adventure. The decision to limit graphic violence in Starfield was deliberate, despite initial plans suggesting otherwise.

Bethesda did not completely avoid violence in its latest RPG. Gunplay and melee combat are integral to the game, and many players feel that Starfield's combat mechanics are a significant improvement over those in Fallout 4, showcasing a well-thought-out approach to shooting and melee engagements. The studio considered increasing the level of violence but ultimately chose to scale back the more graphic elements.

Dennis Mejillones, a character artist who contributed to both Starfield and Fallout 4, discussed the game's approach to violence in a recent interview on the Kiwi Talkz podcast on YouTube. He revealed that the game was initially intended to include decapitations and other kill animations. However, technical challenges related to animating these effects with the game's diverse array of suits and helmets led to their exclusion. Given Starfield's ongoing technical issues even after multiple updates, this decision appears to have been wise to avoid further graphical complications.

Starfield Cut Decapitations for Technical and Tonal Reasons

The decision to remove graphic violence from Starfield wasn't solely based on technical difficulties. Mejillones highlighted that the humor and gore characteristic of Fallout did not align well with Starfield's intended tone. Although Starfield occasionally nods to Bethesda's more lighthearted and violent titles, such as the recent addition of Doom-inspired content, it aims for a more restrained and realistic sci-fi experience. Over-the-top executions might have detracted from the game's immersive atmosphere.

Fans have expressed a desire for more realism in Starfield, noting that elements like the game's nightclubs feel less convincing than those in other gritty sci-fi games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Mass Effect. Adding humorous violence could have further undermined the game's sense of realism. Considering these factors, Bethesda's choice to tone down the gore seems appropriate, even if it diverges from the studio's tradition of more violent shooters.