The release of Starfield is just around the corner. Since its announcement in Xbox Showcase 2023, fans are eagerly awaiting the moment they get to play this title; and they are really close now. Multiple game reviewers and devs have already got their hands on the title to give out their reviews. Furthermore, the reviews have been generally favorable for the Xbox exclusive.
One prominent developer, however, did not like the way the start menu of Starfield looked. This caused a heated debate online with fans speaking voicing their opinions. Amidst all this, Bethesda’s Head of Publishing has come forward to share why the team opted for the current design of the start menu.
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Former Blizzard developer gives his take on the start menu of Starfield
Mark Kern, recognized for his work on games such as Diablo II and Firefall, criticized the Starfield start menu on August 19. He took shots at Bethesda stating, “The start screen of a game can reveal a lot about how rushed the team was and how much pride they took in their work.”
The physiognomy of start screens.
The start screen of a game can reveal a lot about how rushed the team was and how much pride they took in their work.
Starfield's start screen either shows hasty shipping deadlines by a passionate team overworked, or a team that didn't care. pic.twitter.com/Ok4gzQ3DVo
— Grummz (@Grummz) August 19, 2023
He went on to state how the menu looked like the team did not care about it or they were in a rush to complete it. His comments sparked an uproar in the gaming community, with some supporting his views.
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Some fans, however, had contrasting opinions, citing start screens from other well-known games. This ongoing drama attracted the comments of many industry experts, finally leading to Bethesda’s Head of Publishing’s response.
Bethesda Head claps back at the ongoing start menu drama
Peter Hines, the Head of Publishing at Bethesda, sent out a response to Mark Kern claiming the screen was designed that way. He claimed the design has been the same since the start of the development process for the game.
Furthermore, he clapped back at the comments made by the former Blizzard developer. He said, “Having an opinion is one thing. Questioning out a developer’s care because you would have done it differently is highly unprofessional coming from another dev.”
Or they designed what they wanted and that’s been our menu for years and was one of the first things we settled on.
Having an opinion is one thing. Questioning out a developer’s “care” because you would have done it different is highly unprofessional coming from another “dev”
— Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) August 20, 2023
While Hines has given his take on the subject, the debate is far from over. Multiple fans are now comparing the start screens of other hit titles with the Starfield start menu. However, Kern has come forward to state he did not wish to state a war among the fans with his comments but only stated his opinions.
Starfield will be out on September 6 for Xbox Series X/S and PC.
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