Xbox's biggest upcoming game, Starfield, delayed to 2023

Microsoft-owed Bethesda Games is delaying two huge games that were expected to be marquee releases this fall.

Driving the news: Vampire-hunting adventure Redfall and sci-fi role-playing game Starfield will miss their 2022 release windows, sliding to the first half of 2023.

• Microsoft and Bethesda announced a Nov. 11, 2022, release date for Starfield last year, an unusually early timeframe to set a date.

What they're saying: "The teams at Arkane Austin (Redfall) and Bethesda Game Studios (Starfield) have incredible ambitions for their games, and we want to ensure that you receive the best, most polished versions of them," Bethesda said in a tweet this morning.

Between the lines: Starfield is the next game from Bethesda's core team, which is responsible for 2011's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, one of the best-reviewed and best-selling role-playing games of all time.

• Microsoft completed its $7.5 billion acquisition of Bethesda last year, with the intent to use Bethesda's acclaimed studios to bolster its Game Pass subscription service.
• Exclusives like Starfield are available to Game Pass subscribers on release day at no added cost, a competitive difference from PlayStation and Nintendo consoles, which do not offer new releases as part of subscriptions.

The big picture: Delays of big games are common, given the complexities of development.

• Nintendo also recently announced a big delay of its own until 2023, postponing its Switch sequel to 2017 blockbuster The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild out of its expected holiday release window.

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