Starfield's Early Access Triumph: Xbox Sales, Steam Engagement, Speedrun Records

Zinger Key Points
  • Bethesda's "Starfield" excels in pre-launch sales, topping Xbox charts and drawing Steam players.
  • Game Pass users pay extra for early access, aiding Microsoft's revenue strategy.

Before its official launch, Bethesda's "Starfield" is achieving remarkable sales performance, topping Xbox sales charts and attracting thousands of users on Steam.

Game Pass members are paying an extra $31.49 to access the game early, with the Premium Edition upgrade being the best-selling item in Microsoft Stores in the U.S. and UK, IGN reported.

This early access strategy by Microsoft Corporation MSFT is helping recoup revenue while still offering the game on Game Pass from day one.

See Also: What Critics Are Saying About Starfield - Bethesda Game Studio's Space Adventure Under The Microscope

Even on Steam, where the only early access option is to purchase the full Premium Edition at $100, Starfield has seen significant engagement, with a peak of over 245,000 concurrent players and rising daily peaks between Sept. 1-3.

Additionally, someone has already completed the game in just two hours, 52 minutes, and 42 seconds, as per IGN.

Despite its massive size, players have quickly found ways to streamline the experience, much like with other Bethesda RPGs.

Todd Howard, the game's director, estimated a normal playthrough would take 30 to 40 hours. But this speed run highlights the potential for even faster times in the future, when the game officially releases.

Read Next: Starfield's Bumpy Ride - Accessibility Concerns, Steam Deck's Performance Stumbles

Image courtesy: Bethesda via Steam.

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