Ex-Starfield Artist Explains Graphic Violence Removal

Summary

• Starfield's lack of graphic violence was an intentional choice largely due to technical issues.
• It also wouldn't fit Starfield's tone, said Dennis Mejillones, a character artist who worked at Bethesda on Starfield and Fallout 4.

Starfield was originally envisioned to be much more violent, as revealed by a former Bethesda artist. While Bethesda's first-person shooters are known for their gore, the visceral blood and guts seen in Fallout did not make it into the studio's latest sci-fi adventure. The decision to tone down the graphic violence in Starfield was deliberate, despite initial plans to include it.

Bethesda did not completely avoid violence in Starfield. The game features central gunplay and melee combat, which many players consider an improvement over Fallout 4's combat mechanics. The developers put significant effort into refining the shooting and melee systems. However, they ultimately chose to scale back the more graphic elements.

Dennis Mejillones, a character artist who worked on both Starfield and Fallout 4 at Bethesda, discussed the game's approach to violence in an interview with the Kiwi Talkz podcast on YouTube. He confirmed that Starfield was initially planned to include decapitations and other kill animations. However, technical challenges related to the game's diverse array of suits and helmets made these animations difficult to implement without appearing unrealistic or buggy. Given Starfield's ongoing technical issues even after several major updates, the decision to avoid further graphical complications seems justified.

Starfield Cut Decapitations for Technical and Tonal Reasons

The decision to remove graphic violence from Starfield was not solely based on technical difficulties. Mejillones also highlighted that the gore in Fallout contributes to its humor, which does not align well with Starfield's intended tone. Although Starfield occasionally nods to Bethesda's more lighthearted and violent games — such as the recent addition of Doom-inspired content — it aims for a more subdued and realistic sci-fi experience. Over-the-top executions might have disrupted the game's immersion.

Fans have expressed a desire for greater realism in Starfield, particularly noting that the game's nightclubs feel tame and unconvincing compared to other gritty sci-fi titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Mass Effect. Adding humorous violence could have exacerbated these concerns, making the game feel less grounded. Ultimately, Bethesda's choice to reduce the gore in Starfield, while breaking from the studio's tradition in previous shooters, appears to have been the right move.