Former Starfield Artist Reveals Reason Graphic Violence Was Cut

Starfield's toned-down violence: A deliberate design choice

Bethesda's Starfield, while featuring combat, notably lacks the graphic violence prevalent in previous titles like Fallout. This wasn't a random omission; a former Bethesda artist, Dennis Mejillones, revealed in a Kiwi Talkz podcast interview that the decision stemmed from a combination of technical limitations and tonal considerations.

Initially, Starfield was envisioned with far more visceral violence, including decapitations and elaborate kill animations. However, the sheer variety of character suits and helmets presented significant technical hurdles. Creating realistic and bug-free animations for such violent actions proved too challenging, especially considering Starfield's persistent post-launch technical issues. The team likely avoided further graphical complications by simplifying the violence.

Beyond the technical aspects, Mejillones highlighted the stylistic differences between Starfield and Fallout. Fallout's gore often contributes to its humorous tone, a contrast to Starfield's more serious and grounded sci-fi setting. While Starfield incorporates elements from other Bethesda franchises (like the recent Doom-inspired content), overly graphic executions would have clashed with its intended atmosphere, potentially detracting from immersion.

This decision, while potentially disappointing to some fans craving more realism, aligns with Starfield's overall design. The game's relatively tame depiction of locations like nightclubs has already drawn criticism from those comparing it to titles like Cyberpunk 2077. Adding gratuitous violence might have exacerbated these concerns, making the game feel less believable. Ultimately, Bethesda's choice to temper the gore, despite deviating from previous trends, appears to have been a calculated move to maintain the game's intended tone and stability.