According to Steam, I’ve dedicated 171 hours to playing Starfield. While that’s a considerable chunk of time, it’s dwarfed by the countless hours I’ve invested in other games crafted by Bethesda. Now, it seems Bethesda might be hinting at the second major expansion for their space RPG. However, the initial glimpse they’ve offered hasn’t entirely captured my enthusiasm.
Nearly a year has passed since the release of Starfield’s first downloadable content, Shattered Space, which introduced its eerie elements. To commemorate the game’s second anniversary, Bethesda shared a brief video on social media, embedded below.
The teaser, featuring a distinctive visual filter, prompted fans to analyze the frames, revealing the phrase “Terran Armada.” Speculation is rife that this could be the title of the second expansion, which developers have previously confirmed, though details have been scarce.
The name “Terran Armada” suggests a fleet of ships originating from or connected to Earth. If this proves accurate, my reaction is somewhat indifferent. While judging a Bethesda DLC based solely on its title might be premature, the concept of an expansion revolving around Earth-related themes doesn’t particularly excite me, given the limited information available.
Here’s my reasoning: Starfield, with its limited alien presence beyond hostile wildlife, a relatively grounded, NASA-inspired approach to sci-fi, and Earth’s fate as a central plot point, feels like it’s already explored Earth-centric themes extensively. It even features a ship carrying Earth’s inhabitants that mysteriously appears to challenge the established Settled Systems. Remember the encounter with Paradiso on Porrima II and the Earth Colony Ship Constant, which somehow managed to travel through space for around 200 years without encountering anyone else?
I recall it vividly, and it was underwhelming. A DLC could certainly introduce a fresh perspective on such a narrative or discover a compelling way to revitalize Starfield’s ruined Earth, which I found relatively unremarkable. However, as I mentioned in my review of the Shattered Space expansion on another platform, I believe Bethesda’s best strategy for Starfield DLC is to inject more vibrancy and uniqueness into the game’s vast, yet often bland, universe.
While the first DLC involved snake worshippers on a purple planet, arguing that another foray into the strange and alien might not be ideal for variety’s sake is reasonable. However, I feel that embracing outlandish ideas is the better path. No single DLC will completely restore Starfield’s reputation from a would-be masterpiece that failed to live up to the immense hype to a universally beloved entry on par with the Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises.
A sequel could potentially achieve this, provided it arrives before the universe’s eventual heat death. Therefore, why not prioritize the bizarre and exceptional, as seen in some of the most impactful and memorable moments in those other Bethesda-developed series, both from Bethesda and external developers? Even if this game remains a standalone title, it should conclude with a series of explosive events rather than a faint cosmic whimper.
We’ll have to wait and see which direction “Terran Armada” takes, assuming it’s a genuine DLC teaser and not just a reference to Todd Howard’s lunch order.