Is Starfield multiplayer?

Can you play Starfield multiplayer? Given the breathtaking scope of Starfield, Bethesda's new open-world RPG containing a thousands planets to traverse and explore, it's only natural to ask: can I bring along a friend so we can discover all of Starfield's delights together? Or are you limited to just sharing your journey with the many NPC Starfield companions?

In this quick guide we'll answer the question of whether Starfield will be multiplayer or have a co-op mode that allows you to play the game with your friends or family members.

Is Starfield multiplayer?

Starfield will not have multiplayer at launch, and Bethesda have said that they currently have no plans to add a multiplayer mode to their game. From the beginning, Starfield was intended to be a purely singleplayer RPG experience, which means you won't have any option to play Starfield with your friends in co-op mode.

Bethesda have had success creating online multiplayer RPGs in recent years with The Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76, and speaking on the latter in a Develop:Brighton Digital 2020 interview, Bethesda's director Todd Howard said the following about the prospect of future multiplayer games:

"You really have to beta test these things for a long period of time, 24/7, with live players. So they are a different animal than a regular singleplayer game that we would do [...] overall it's been a really positive experience for us, it's made us much better developers, it's made us better connected with our community, so I can't say it's gonna be a one-off. Obviously the stuff we have coming - Starfield, Elder Scrolls VI - are singleplayer games, but I wouldn't rule it out in the future.

So Starfield is clearly intended to be singleplayer only, but Bethesda also have far better footing when it comes to developing multiplayer games than they once did, and they wouldn't rule it out in the future. Only time will tell whether this means a change in their outlook and an update or expansion to Starfield that adds a co-op multiplayer mode. But at this stage that's a mere pipe dream. It's no easy task to take a game that was never intended to be multiplayer, and give it a co-op mode.

Having said that, if there's one thing we've learned from previous Bethesda RPGs it's that the modding community can do some incredible things. Skyrim, for example, was built to be a singleplayer game by Bethesda, but nowadays one of the most popular Skyrim mods out there is Skyrim Together Reborn, an overhaul that allows you to play the game with your friends. It's more than possible that a mod that enables Starfield multiplayer will eventually be put together, but we certainly wouldn't expect one soon after release.

That's all we've got to say on the topic of Starfield multiplayer. Sadly it doesn't look like we'll be able to play Starfield with friends anytime soon, but there's still a lot to be excited about Bethesda's gargantuan upcoming RPG. If you're raring to start your journey in Starfield, you'd best prepare with our guides on the Starfield PC requirements and Starfield early access.