Starfield preload is freezing out Steam players
The next titan that could once again cement Bethesda as one of the best development teams in gaming is right around the corner, and my god, is the excitement palpable. Some are sceptical that Starfield can pull a banger out of thin air, but there's no denying that players of all levels are excited to give it a spin to find out.
The concept of Skyrim in space has long been brilliant enough to grip gamers, and now, we finally get to see it come to life. In a frustrating twist, it looks like players on PC aren't getting to be prepared enough for its launch, as the Starfield preload is keeping some of you marooned in space.
Starfield preload is much later on Steam
Fans are growing frustrated with the disparity between the Steam and Xbox versions of Starfield before it's even had the chance to come out. It has been revealed that the Starfield preload for Xbox and Windows PC is coming ahead of Steam.
In a new announcement revealing that Starfield has already gone Gold (congrats, by the way), it has been announced that starting August 17, players can preload Starfield on Xbox and Windows PC. It means they can get to playing at midnight on release day - but the Starfield preload date on Steam is very different.
If you're on PC and want to preload via Steam, you'll have to wait until the end of the month on August 30. Steam players aren't sure why this announcement has been made and why they can't pre-load sooner - but some have a theory.
Is Xbox purposefully leaving Steam's Starfield preload later?
Click to enlargeFans have suggested that due to Xbox's control of Bethesda, the game has been offered in preload form to Xbox users first. Putting all its chips on green, it would be another small bonus for those choosing to engage with Microsoft's gaming company.
After all, it makes sense that Xbox needs any small wins it can get its hands on after Redfall's dramatic flop and the frustrations around its purchase of Activision Blizzard. It's just a theory for now, and at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. You'll still be able to preload Starfield on Steam long before the game takes flight.