Starfield’s Departure from Bethesda’s Classic Looting Mechanic Raises Eyebrows Among Players

Starfield, the latest RPG from Bethesda, has transported the studio’s renowned open-world gameplay into the realm of science fiction. While it introduces countless hours of exploration and looting, there’s one noticeable change that departs from the classic Bethesda RPG formula.

In previous Bethesda titles, the act of looting was a vital aspect of the gameplay experience. When players looted items from NPCs’ bodies, the items disappeared, and the character’s appearance would change accordingly. If you took an NPC’s armor or weapon, it visually reflected on the character, making the world feel more immersive. It was a minor but significant detail that added to the realism and charm of the game world.

However, Starfield takes a different approach. While players can still loot NPCs, the items don’t visibly change on the bodies. Whether you strip an NPC of their spacesuit, weapons, or items, the character’s appearance remains the same. This subtle change may seem insignificant, but it impacts the immersion factor and departs from the established Bethesda RPG experience.

It’s unclear why this mechanic was altered in Starfield, especially after years of practice in previous games. This omission doesn’t necessarily break the game, but it leaves players longing for the unique charm of the “realistic” looting system seen in Bethesda’s prior titles. Whether future Bethesda RPGs will return to this feature remains to be seen, but for now, it’s a small but noticeable shift in the formula.