Bethesda just dropped the bomb that Starfield has officially hit the gold status! Translation: the game’s primary development work is wrapped up and now it’s headed for the production stage. No turning back now, folks.

Hold onto your controllers, because here’s the scoop on the release prep. If you’re an Xbox Series X | S gamer, you can start preloading the game from 17 August. For the Steam crowd, your preload journey begins on 30 August. Ready, set, preload!

Speaking of release dates, let’s do a quick rewind. Starfield was initially primed for a November release last year. But hold on, in May 2022, the game’s launch got pushed to the first half of 2023. And then, oh boy, another delay in March this year. Mark your calendars, because Starfield is now locked in for touchdown on 6 September.

Now, for the loot hunters among us, there are different editions up for grabs before the big day. The standard version, priced at US$70, comes with the core game. And guess what? It’s also on the Xbox Game Pass menu for both console and PC players. Fancy a bit more? There’s the Digital Premium Edition and the Constellation Edition at a whopping US$300. They come with the first expansion named Shattered Space and up to five days of early bird access from 1 September.

Quick sidebar: did you know that plans for a PS5 version of Starfield got the axe after Microsoft nabbed Bethesda in 2021? The game could’ve been landing in our hands even later if that didn’t happen, according to the folks in charge. Speaking of which, Pete Hines, the bigwig at Bethesda, spilt the beans in July, mentioning that focusing on fewer platforms was a smart move for the team. More platforms could’ve meant more time, more money, and a heck of a lot more risk. No thanks, said Hines.

But hold up, more juicy info. Xbox Game Studios honcho Matt Booty chimed in back in June, boasting that if Starfield had launched then, it would’ve been the smoothest ride in terms of bugs for any Bethesda game ever. Now that’s a bold claim, Matt!

So, fellow space adventurers, gear up for 6 September and keep your fingers crossed that Starfield delivers the cosmic gaming experience we’ve all been waiting for.