Why Bethesda Cut Gore and Dismemberment From Starfield

Bethesda had originally envisioned incorporating gore and dismemberment mechanics into Starfield, but technical challenges led to their removal. Dennis Mejillones, a former character artist who worked on The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield, explained to Kiwi Talkz that the complexity of interactions with space suits was the primary reason for this decision.

"The technical implications of handling different suits were overwhelming," Mejillones stated. "You need to manage the helmet's detachment in a specific way, and there's the issue of dealing with the flesh beneath. We developed systems for these aspects, but it became incredibly complicated. With the addition of various hoses on helmets and the ability to significantly alter body sizes through the character creator, it turned into a technical nightmare."

Fans of Bethesda's games, particularly those who enjoyed the gore and dismemberment features in Fallout 4, expressed disappointment that these elements were absent in Starfield. However, Mejillones pointed out that such mechanics align better with the "tongue-in-cheek" humor of the Fallout series. "It's part of the fun," he remarked.

Starfield, Bethesda's first full single-player role-playing game in eight years, launched in September 2023 and has since attracted over 15 million players. IGN's review praised the game's expansive role-playing quests and solid combat, awarding it a 7/10 score, noting that despite various challenges, "the allure of its expansive roleplaying quests and respectable combat make its gravitational pull difficult to resist."

In recent developments, another former Bethesda developer expressed surprise at the extensive loading times in Starfield, especially in the city of Neon. Since its release, Bethesda has been actively improving the game, introducing a 60fps performance mode and releasing the Shattered Space expansion in September.