A potential Starfield 2 may be unlikely, according to former Bethesda lead systems designer Kurt Kuhlmann. In a recent interview with Video Games Chronicle, Kuhlmann said he would be surprised to hear that Bethesda had approved a sequel, arguing that the original game was not commercially successful enough to make another installment an obvious choice.
His comments also suggest that Kuhlmann believes a sequel could have addressed some of the first game’s shortcomings. While Starfield established a large-scale space RPG with extensive exploration and role-playing systems, he feels Bethesda had not fully achieved the vision director Todd Howard originally had for the project.
Kuhlmann Says Starfield 2 Could Have Realized Howard’s Vision
Kuhlmann was asked about the possibility of a sequel and gave a fairly pessimistic assessment of Starfield’s future. According to the former lead systems designer, news of Starfield 2 would be “very surprising” because the first game was not “anywhere near successful enough” to make a sequel seem likely.
However, he also believes there was significant potential for Bethesda to improve on the formula.
“It’s, in a way, too bad, because I think with the lessons learned on Starfield, a Starfield 2 could have been much closer to the game that Todd had,”
Kuhlmann explained.
He added that the game Howard envisioned is easy to imagine, but that
“that’s not quite what Starfield really is.”
The comments come as Bethesda continues expanding Starfield rather than immediately moving toward another numbered installment. The game’s ongoing content and updates could give the studio opportunities to refine systems and address criticism without committing to a full sequel.
For now, Kuhlmann’s comments should not be treated as confirmation that Starfield 2 has been canceled. He is a former member of the development team and does not appear to be speaking on behalf of Bethesda.
Still, his assessment offers an interesting perspective on what a hypothetical sequel could have looked like. Rather than simply expanding the original game’s universe, Starfield 2 could have used lessons from its predecessor to more closely match the ambitious vision originally intended for the space RPG.
