Starfield’s Next Updates Aim to Fix Space Travel — Second DLC Still Alive, PS5 Rumors Swirl

Why This Actually Matters

I like Starfield, warts and all. But let’s be honest: for a game about crossing the stars, the space part often feels like a menu. That’s why Bethesda veteran Tim Lamb’s tease caught my eye. He says a team is working on free updates to make space travel “more rewarding,” alongside new game systems and the long-quiet second story DLC. If Bethesda finally gives us a reason to fly instead of fast-travel, that could change how Starfield feels minute-to-minute – not just add another checkbox questline.

• Free updates will add new systems and target space travel/combat “to make your travels there more rewarding.”
• The second story DLC remains in development; timing and details undisclosed.
• Don’t expect miracles: Creation Engine 2 still favors loads and jumps, not truly seamless flight.
• Rumored PS5 port could push DLC into 2026 – plausible, but unconfirmed.

Breaking Down the Announcement

Lamb’s line comes at the end of a Developer Spotlight: “We have some cool stuff coming, including free updates and features the players have been asking for, as well as a new DLC story… part of the team has been focused on space gameplay to make [your] travels there more rewarding. We’re also adding some new game systems, and a few other smaller delights.” That’s not a roadmap, but it’s the clearest signal in months that Bethesda knows exactly where the experience feels thin.

After Shattered Space showed Bethesda can still craft strong quest content when it focuses up, the real question became: will the studio shore up the simulation layer? Fans have been loud about the “load to grav jump, load to orbit, load to land” loop, and the low incentive to actually dogfight or free-fly. If these updates make space worth lingering in, modders and role-players get more toys to build on, and everyone else gets a better core loop.

The Real Problem Starfield Needs to Solve

Starfield’s biggest friction isn’t just barren planets; it’s that the most interesting stuff happens after you put your ship away. Space is mostly a hallway between loading screens. Combat works but rarely sings – once you’ve slapped particle turrets on a brick with engines, you’ve “solved” most encounters. Compare that to Elite Dangerous’ interdictions and power management, or No Man’s Sky’s quickfire space events that constantly tempt you off your course. Starfield needs reasons to stay in the cockpit.

What Meaningful Fixes Could Look Like

We don’t know the exact features, so here’s what would actually move the needle:

• Dynamic encounters with risk/reward. Distress calls that turn into ambushes, derelict ships with hazards and rare loot, faction skirmishes that meaningfully alter reputation.
• Deeper ship roles. Incentivize fast interceptors, stealth smugglers, and tanky haulers with systems that reward build variety beyond raw DPS.
• Systems-level goals between jumps. Optional scanning challenges, contraband checkpoints, fuel management, or star hazards that create micro-objectives instead of map-jumping past everything.
• Better AI and combat feedback. Target subsystem damage that matters, ECM/boarding counters with clear tells, and post-fight salvage loops that make winning a skirmish feel profitable.

I’m not expecting seamless atmo entry — Creation Engine 2 isn’t built for that without tearing up half the game. But Bethesda can layer engaging events and mechanics onto the current structure. That’s achievable and would pay dividends.

Temper Your Hype

“New game systems” could mean anything from ship guilds and bounty tiers to a revamped economy… or it could be lighter knobs like new mission types and UI tweaks. Bethesda has supported long-tail fixes before — Fallout 76’s road to redemption was real — but it also loves its Creations marketplace. If the meaty stuff lands behind paid add-ons while “free updates” feel thin, expect backlash. Watch the patch notes for systemic changes, not just cosmetics and small QoL.

DLC #2 and Those PS5 Rumors

The second DLC being “alive” is good news, but radio silence suggests a longer runway. With Xbox’s recent willingness to put select titles on PlayStation, the rumor of a 2026 Starfield PS5 port isn’t wild — and pairing it with a chunky DLC drop would make business sense. Still, it’s not confirmed. If the DLC needs time to integrate these new systems, that delay could actually be healthy for the game’s identity.

What Players Should Do Now

If you bounced off Starfield at launch, keep an eye on the next two feature patches. Look for deeper space encounters, mid-flight objectives, and reasons to specialize ship builds. If you’re on PC, the mod scene already fills gaps with better AI, economy tweaks, and ship balance — these updates could compound that. Console players, meanwhile, just need Bethesda to deliver on the fundamentals.

TL;DR

Bethesda says free updates will make Starfield’s space travel and combat more rewarding, with new systems on the way and a second story DLC still in development. Don’t expect seamless planets, but if they nail dynamic encounters and real incentives to fly, Starfield’s whole loop improves. Timing is fuzzy — and yes, the PS5 chatter is just rumor — but this is the right target.