Starfield’s Pete Hines Confirmed Planets are Planet Sized

Starfield is said to be the biggest game Bethesda has ever made, with over 1,000 planets for players to explore and discover as they travel across the stars. However, for some players, there have been concerns about just how much of these planets are worth exploring or if they can be fully explored at all.

Thanks to Bethesda’s Pete Hines, we have our answer. And it’s one that players will be happy to hear.

Related: Starfield: Release Date, Preorders & Gameplay Trailers

Players Will Have the Freedom to Explore Entire Planets if They Choose To

Since its announcement, fans have been curious about just how much of each of Starfield’s’ planets they will have to explore and if they truly can see it all or be restricted to one area on the planet.

In response to a fan question on X/Twitter, which asked if they would be able to explore the “whole entire planet,” Hines confirmed with a clear and concise answer that yes, players can freely explore an entire planet as soon as they land on it. For players, this will be welcome news and seems to reinforce the size and scale the developers have been spouting, and means the game is likely to be as big as they have been saying.

However, there are a couple of things to note. For one, Hines’s comments did not mention that the game will have a loading screen as you transition from space to the planet. So, there will be no seamless flying. You also have to consider that the game will not have any ground vehicles, so you will explore these massive planets on foot, which we imagine will take a very long time. On top of that, only 10% of these planets will have any signs of life, so much of what you find may not be worth a full exploration.

Related: Starfield Timeline Explained: 2050 – 2328 & Beyond

The point is that this is a great marketing move to build hype, but how effective or fun it is to do so is down to each player’s experience.

Players won’t need to wait long to see these planets and explore it all themselves, as Starfield is set to release on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S and September 1 for those who order the premium edition and get five-day early access.