Summary
- Starfield, Bethesda’s highly anticipated new IP, will have an early access period starting on August 31, allowing Premium and Collector’s edition owners to play almost a week before the official launch on September 6.
- To participate in the early access period, players need to purchase the Premium or Collector’s editions of Starfield. Those who have the standard edition can upgrade to the Premium Edition to join in.
- Players on Xbox Game Pass will not have early access to Starfield but can get the Premium Edition Upgrade to get early access.
After years of waiting, the release of Starfield is nearly here, with an early access period that will undoubtedly excite the most eager fans. The highly anticipated title will be Bethesda’s first new IP in about twenty-five years, and it is being set up as the new flagship Xbox franchise. Starfield is primed to be one of the biggest games ever made, and thankfully, it will launch on Xbox Game Pass to make it as widely available as possible. However, players who purchase the Premium and Collectors editions of Starfield will be able to play the game almost a week early.
Starfield was first revealed in 2018 at Bethesda’s E3 showcase, and it has been a long stretch of years since. The wait looks worthwhile, as the gameplay reveal at the Xbox Summer Showcase was incredibly detailed and impressive. Starfield will sport a massive open world and incorporate all the experience Bethesda has acquired from making games like Skyrim and Fallout 4. Expectations for the game are high, but Xbox and Bethesda seem confident that Starfield will deliver. Fans have patiently waited, and the wait is finally over.
Starfield Early Access Starts On August 31
Starfield’s early access period begins on August 31, 2023, for players who purchased the Premium or Constellation editions, which allows for up to five days of playtime before the game officially launches on September 6. Starfield early access starts at 5 pm PT, 7 pm CT, and 8 pm ET on August 31. The Starfield early access start time for the United Kingdom is 1 am BST on September 1. For players in Europe, Starfield early access begins at 2 am CEST on September 1, 2023.
How To Participate In Starfield’s Early Access
Players still have time to get into Starfield’s early access period. The only way to play Starfield early is to purchase the Premium or Constellation editions of the game. However, players who purchased the standard edition can still participate in early access with the Premium Edition Upgrade, which will come with the rest of the items included in the Premium Edition, such as the Constellation Skin Pack, the digital soundtrack and art book, and the Shattered Space expansion pack when it releases. This upgrade is available to players who have purchased either the physical or digital versions of the Starfield Standard edition.
Those playing Starfield via Xbox Game Pass can participate in the Starfield early access period by purchasing the Starfield Premium Edition Upgrade. Otherwise, Game Pass subscribers will have to wait until the official release on September 6 to play the game.
Source: Bethesda Softworks/YouTube