Starfield is an upcoming open-world space game developed by Bethesda Game Studios. While not much is known yet about the full scope of the game, Bethesda has confirmed that Starfield will feature a casino location for players to visit and potentially gamble in. As an immersive space RPG, the casino will likely serve as a hub for side activities, missions, and interactions outside of the main story. This article will examine the known and speculated details about the Starfield casino based on official announcements and educated guesses.
Confirmed Details
So far, Bethesda has not revealed extensive details about the casino within Starfield. However, here are some key facts that have been officially confirmed:
The Casino Exists
Bethesda has verified that there will be a casino location in the game. In a 2021 interview with The Telegraph, Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard stated “We have cities and we build them like we built the cities we built for Elder Scrolls. We have a space station called the New Atlantis that’s like a city. And we have places like a betting parlor/casino.” This confirms that players will be able to visit and likely interact with a casino or gambling establishment of some kind.
Concept Art Hints at Design
Some early concept art released by Bethesda provides visual teases of what the casino could look like. The art depicts futuristic architecture with bright, vibrant lights and banners. This suggests the casino could have a lively, exciting atmosphere with a distinct sci-fi aesthetic. The concept art shows the casino exterior rather than any interior views.
Location is Unknown
While a casino will exist in Starfield, Bethesda has not indicated where exactly it will be located. Given the “New Atlantis” space station comment, it’s possible the casino could be located there. But it could also be on a planet’s surface or elsewhere in space. The location remains a mystery for now.
Possible Features and Functions
Beyond the basics, the Starfield casino’s offerings are merely speculation at this point. However, based on typical casino gameplay functions in other games, we can make some educated guesses about what purpose this location may serve.
Gambling Mini-Games
The most obvious feature would be various gambling and casino-style mini-games. These could include:
- Slot machines
- Card games like poker, blackjack, etc.
- Roulette
- Sports betting
- Dice games
- Bingo
Bethesda could even come up with fictional futuristic casino games to really sell the sci-fi setting. Gambling mini-games would allow for player choice, luck-based outcomes, and opportunities to win in-game currency.
Side Quests
The casino could also host unique side quests and missions unrelated to the core story. These could involve helping casino patrons, investigating shady backroom dealings, winning big tournaments, or partaking in heists. Side quests based around the casino could provide valuable XP, rare items, or large cash rewards.
Social Hub and Characters
As a likely popular location, the Starfield casino may act as a major social hub where NPC characters congregate. Gambling spots often attract eclectic personalities in games, allowing for dynamic social interactions outside main story characters. Unique dialogue, relationships, and secrets could emerge from the casino’s NPC crowd.
Romance Options
Following in the footsteps of past Bethesda games like Skyrim, Starfield will feature romance options with certain characters. It’s quite possible some of these romanceable NPCs will spend their time in the casino, giving players a chance to interact and build relationships with them there.
Merchant Shops
Casinos tend to draw in wealthy clientele, making them natural locations for expensive merchandise and services. The Starfield casino could house elite merchant shops with rare goods, weapons, implants or other offerings that can only be purchased from its exclusive sellers.
Minigames
Apart from main gambling activities, additional minigames could be available in the casino. These could take the form of arcade cabinets, virtual reality simulations, or advanced future versions of carnival-style casino games. Mini-games would provide a respite from regular gambling and quests.
Performance Venues
Similar to the casinos of Las Vegas, the Starfield casino may feature auditoriums, theaters, or arenas for special performances. These could host concerts, stand-up comedy, plays, sport events or virtual reality shows for player entertainment between gambling sessions.
Speculated Gameplay Integration
If the Starfield casino functions like gambling locations in other RPGs, it will likely provide some form of gameplay integration beyond just being a pretty environment. Here are some possible ways it could connect with core systems:
Using and Winning Currency
Gambling games traditionally reward winners with in-game currency. Successfully betting and winning hands in the Starfield casino could generate considerable amounts of money for the player. The casino may also have unique currency only obtained through play there. Currencies could then be used for items, NPC bribes or investments.
Skill Checks
Dialogue or activities with certain casino NPCs might involve skill checks. For example, a high persuasion skill could enable better payouts from a casino merchant. Engineers or scientists may get access to restricted areas. Skill checks reward player build choices.
Hub for Side Quests
As previously speculated, the casino could hand out exciting side adventures through its patrons, managers, or hidden criminal networks. Side quests send players down branching paths away from the main story for fresh adventures and challenges tailored to their playstyle.
Romance and Companion Interactions
Starfield will allow players to romance certain companions. The casino’s lounge atmosphere encourages social gameplay. Patrons could offer new dialogue, gifts, and relationship-progressing options for player love interests. Special companion quest lines could also begin in the casino.
Mission Staging Area
The casino’s cosmopolitan nature means many types of characters pass through it. This mobility makes it an ideal spot for meeting shady contacts, gathering intelligence, and launching major missions to various regions in the game world. A bit of casino eavesdropping could unlock exciting new intrigue.
Minigame Prizes
Optional minigames found in the casino could reward prizes for skilled play. These could take the form of rare crafting resources, credits, cosmetic clothing/armor, temporary buffs, in-game collectibles or other worthwhile incentives for players to engage with optional leisurely activities.
Unlockable Vendors
Certain merchants or services in the casino may only become available after certain milestones, such as completing an associated side quest. This rewards exploration and optional interactions, revealing more gameplay opportunities. The most exclusive offerings could be gated behind main story progress or difficult side content.
Potential for Economy Impact
Starfield’s premise as a futuristic open world RPG means in-game economies will likely play a major role. The introduction of a casino poses interesting possibilities for impacting the game’s overall economic systems in both positive and negative ways.
Money Sink
A casino may act as a “money sink” – an activity that drains currency from the game world economy. As players gamble money away, it decreases the total pool of credits in circulation. This can control inflation and give currency more long-term value, as there is an engaging outlet for spending it.
Money Fountain
At the same time, a casino also adds money into the game world through winnings. Big gambling winners will inject more credits into circulation. This could stimulate economic growth, but also cause price inflation if too much wealth concentrates in a few players.
Credit Transfer Hub
The social nature of a casino means it can facilitate direct currency transfers between players through gifts, tips, or trades. This interconnectivity can distribute wealth in ways that may ultimately benefit more players through a “trickle down” effect.
Illegal Money Laundering
In most games with casinos, they tend to attract seedy elements looking to launder dirty money. Criminal empires in Starfield could use the casino to “clean” credits from nefarious means and integrate them back into the economy disguised as winnings.
Credits-for-Assets Trading
Wealthy casino gamblers may exchange credits for rare goods, spacecraft, and other luxuries from merchants. This can create currency value stability by moderating purchasing power. Players can essentially convert winnings into useful physical assets.
Taxation and Regulation
Futuristic governments may impose special taxes on casino earnings to benefit the public good while disincentivizing problematic gambling habits. Regulators could also manipulate odds or payout rates to control economic impacts. This allows managing the casino’s influence.
Risk vs Reward
Ultimately, the casino will exemplify risk vs reward gameplay. Gambling offers huge but uncertain payouts for those willing to possibly lose big. Conservative players averse to risk can still benefit from the casino’s non-gambling offerings. Striking the right balance of chance leads to success.
Opportunities for Immersion
As an ambitious immersive sim, Starfield will excel at environmental storytelling and making its world feel alive. The casino environment presents many possibilities to bolster immersion through dynamic NPC interactions, atmospheric audio/visual design, and reactive environmental systems.
Lively NPC Crowds
A thriving sea of NPC casino patrons would boost immersion greatly. Unique dialogues, day/night cycles, randomized events, and lifelike behavior makes the location feel alive. People-watching can reveal exciting emergent encounters. Patrons could even recognize and reference the player based on past interactions and deeds, making them feel like a real part of the world.
Responsive Gameplay Devices
Slot machines, roulette wheels, video poker screens and other interactive casino machines should provide responsive visual and audio feedback during play. Dynamic physics and animations keep gameplay devices from feeling static or disconnected from the world. Smooth reactivity amplifies gambling’s real-time thrills.
Atmospheric Audio
The surround sound ambience of a bustling casino fosters immersion. Slot machine sound effects, shuffling cards, wheel spins, glasses clinking, dealer announcements and chattering patrons combines into a lively soundscape. Distinct zones could feature different sound profiles as well.
Stylized Visual Flair
Casino architecture and technology will likely feature bold futuristic and space art styles. Neon signs, holograms, display screens, colored lighting, and other eye-catching visuals establish both form and function. Stylization choices reflect the casino’s culture and themes on a sensory level.
Attentive Service NPCs
Friendly casino employees and dealers could engage players with unique dialogue and services. Customizable drink orders, information on nearby attractions, gambling strategy advice, companion interactions and more from service NPCs make the casino feel less automated.
Interactive Objects
The casino interior could be filled with interactive objects and mini-activities outside core gambling. Playing bar games like pool, ordering unique cocktails, sitting down at tables, tipping musicians, and more allow players to freely roleplay a casino patron.
Opportunities for Mods
Starfield on PC will support mods, giving players the ability to customize and expand the game. The casino in particular seems primed for some very creative modder enhancements. Here are just a few possibilities:
New Games and Machines
Mods could add entirely original gambling and casino machine games via custom 3D models, gameplay scripts, UI frameworks and sound effects. New games exponentially increase casino replay value.
Expanded Interior Areas
Larger casino interiors, new side rooms, underground levels, luxury suites, virtual spaces, and exterior expansions could be added through new environment assets. More areas to explore amplifies immersion and activities.
Custom Characters
Introducing unique NPC casino owners, bartenders, bouncers, performers, patrons and other characters through mods brings the location to life. Relationship systems could also be modded to romantically interact with custom NPCs.
Quests and Stories
Dedicated mod quest lines centered around the casino offer new adventures and lore. Players can experience fresh tales of success, ruin, romance, danger and drama in the modded casino. New reasons to revisit give it lasting value.
Cheating and Heists
For less virtuous mod playstyles, mods could enable cheating casino games for guaranteed payouts. Or orchestrating elaborate heists of the place through mods. Outsmarting the house diversifies play.
Visual and Audio Upgrades
Mods can dramatically enhance graphics, effects and sound for a more modern look. Higher-resolution textures, ray tracing, lighting overhauls, ambient soundscapes and music packs elevate casino atmosphere.
Economy Integration
Mods could more tightly integrate the casino with the wider game economy, adding unique goods, stocks, dynamic odds, cryptocurrencies, credit exchanges and business ownership opportunities. An economic playground!
Multiplayer Partying
Though not planned for launch, multiplayer mods could allow groups of players to hang out and gamble together in the casino. Shared social spaces like private tables further realizes the co-op potential.
Conclusion
While details remain scarce, the inclusion of a casino in Starfield provides ample opportunities to make it a compelling and engaging location through potential features, gameplay integration, immersion, and mod support. It can attract diverse crowds with many playstyles, driving emergent stories through luck, relationships and consequences. The casino’s economic influence will motivate strategic gambling decisions. Given Bethesda’s pedigree with reactivity and environmental storytelling, this space will likely realize its full futuristic potential. The only sure bet is that the casino will deliver excitement when Starfield launches.
