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Starfield will launch in 2022 as an Xbox exclusive

A trailer for Bethesda’s upcoming title Starfield has revealed that the game will be exclusive to Xbox consoles and PC. The trailer also gave a glimpse at the game’s spacefaring universe and revealed the game’s release date: November 11, 2022.

The trailer shows a person dressed in a spacesuit taking off in a rickety, futuristic spaceship. Players fill the shoes of an astronaut working for an organization called Constellation. Set hundreds of years into the future, when humanity has already explored space, Constellation is a group of explorers charting the last unknown regions of the galaxy.

Prior to boarding their ship, the astronaut is shown walking around a small base filled with clutter, including a half-eaten sandwich and flight manuals. The astronaut places a small, futuristic-looking weapon on a table before walking away. Outside of the bases and the ship, the alien world looks barren of any natural life, although it’s filled with other small bases and populated by towering robots.

Starfield is the first original IP to come from Bethesda Game Studios in quite a while. The last time the developer launched a new IP was in 1994, with The Elder Scrolls. To say there’s a lot of pressure for Bethesda to get Starfield right is an understatement.

Starfield will be available on Xbox Game Pass when it launches on November 11, 2022. The trailer also revealed that the game will only be available on the Xbox Series X|S and will not be heading to last-gen consoles. Players will also be able to pick up Starfield on PC.

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Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…
Starfield: Red Mile location and how to survive
Talking to Mei about the Red Mile in Starfield.

What space game would be complete without a seedy casino somewhere in the galaxy? In Starfield, that is best represented by The Red Mile casino and hotel where those willing to risk their Credits, and their lives, have the chance to strike it rich. Of all the games and entertainment available, the Red Mile challenge is no doubt the most deadly. You're free to visit this planet almost immediately after getting your ship, but this challenge isn't made for a fresh character. Even after you've leveled up, get some decent gear, and feel up to the challenge, the Red Mile Run has a lot of surprises that can cut your run short in the worst possible ways. If you think you're tough enough to make it to the end, here's where to find the Red Mile and the best tips on surviving it.
Where to find the Red Mile

The Red Mile is technically the name of the entire casino-hotel resort, not just the challenge. It is found on the planet Porrima III, which is of course in the Porrima system. You can jump there manually anytime you're exploring, but will also be tasked with going there if you're following the Freestar Collective faction questline.

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Every blockbuster reveal from the Xbox leak: new consoles, Bethesda games, and more
Xbox's logo used during the Extended Games Showcase

Unredacted documents submitted and made publicly available to view as part of the ongoing Microsoft vs. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) trial just led to what may be the biggest leak in video game history.
A flood of files have revealed deep secrets about Xbox's upcoming plans for the bulk of the decade, giving us unprecedented insight into what's on the horizon for the gaming giant. That includes information on upcoming hardware refreshes, next-gen consoles, and unannounced Bethesda titles, as well as a further peek into Microsoft's acquisition ambitions. It's a lot to trudge through, so we've rounded up five key revelations that you'll want to know.
A new Xbox Series X model is coming next year
https://twitter.com/stephentotilo/status/1704121068519133313
The most shocking thing to leak as part of the trial is a new Xbox Series X model. Referred to as "Brooklin -- Xbox Series X Refresh" in the leaked documents, this is a diskless, cylindrical version of the Xbox Series X with 2TB of internal storage, a USB-C port, and smaller technical improvements to the system's Wi-Fi, PSU, standby mode, and more. An upgraded Xbox Series S code-named Ellewood may also be in the works and released before Brooklin.
If Microsoft still follows the plan laid out in this "Roadmap to 2030" document created in May 2022, it would release Brooklin in late October 2024 for $500. If Microsoft still plans to release Brooklin next year, it does contradict recent statements from Xbox chief Phil Spencer, who acted bearish on the idea of a mid-gen refresh in Gamescom interviews. It's possible Microsoft's plans have changed since these leaked documents were made, but if not, we now know what to expect in terms of Microsoft's console refreshes.
A new Xbox controller is in the works
https://twitter.com/charlieINTEL/status/1704088621475598345
Throughout that Brooklin leak, a new version of the Xbox Series X controller is also teased. The Xbox Series X controller is great, but lacks the unique features of controllers like the DualSense or Joy-Cons, so it makes sense Microsoft would want to change that. Referred to as "Sebile -- The New Xbox Controller," this controller can seamlessly pair and connect to the cloud.
It also will feature haptic feedback, an accelerometer gyro, quieter buttons, modular thumbsticks, a rechargeable and swappable battery, and the ability to wake just by being picked up. The same road map that lists Brooklin and Ellewood's release windows says the Sebile controller will launch sometime in late May 2024 for $70.
First details on Microsoft's next-gen console leak
https://twitter.com/AR12Gaming/status/1704102055206322389
It's hard to believe we're almost already three years into this console generation and that Microsoft is planning for its next major console release, but that is the case. Unfortunately for Microsoft, its current technical ambitions for the platform were included in this leak. A leaked document states that Microsoft's ultimate goal is to "develop a next-generation hybrid game platform capable of leveraging the combined power of the client and cloud to deliver deeper immersion and entirely new classes of game experiences." 
In practice, a list of technical improvements lays out that we can expect an ARM64 CPU that balances big and little cores, a GPU co-designed with AMD, and an NPU that balances "the desire for flexible, programmable ML silicon versus high-performance silicon for targeted workloads," as well as support for better ray tracing, global illumination, micropolygon rendering, and an ML-based Super Resolution. Microsoft also mentions a "thin OS" meant for cheaper consumer and handled devices, likely to play games via the cloud.
This next-gen console is currently slated for a 2028 launch.
Several upcoming Bethesda games leak

Enough about hardware -- several upcoming Bethesda games also leaked. A document from 2020 outlining Bethesda's game road map through fiscal year 2024 includes some games we don't know about. Alongside games we know of like MachineGames' Indiana Jones project, the list also includes several code-named projects, remasters of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3, a GhostWire: Tokyo sequel, Doom Year Zero, and Dishonored 3.
Another document also confirmed that The Elder Scrolls VI won't launch until at least 2026. Some of these games have missed the release windows listed in the documents, so it's very possible that these dates are no longer accurate and that some may not be released at all. Still, it lays out a clear picture of what was in development at Bethesda just a few years ago and provides insight into the lineup that enticed Microsoft to purchase Bethesda in the first place. 
Microsoft considered acquiring Nintendo and Warner Bros. Interactive
https://twitter.com/tomwarren/status/1704021807341203802
A leaked email from 2020 gives some insight into Spencer's acquisition ambitions at that point. Namely, it sounds like he'd love to acquire Nintendo as it would be a "career moment" for him.
"I totally agree that Nintendo is THE prime asset for us in gaming, and today gaming is a most likely path to consumer relevance," he wrote. "I've had numerous conversations with the LT of Nintendo about tighter collaboration and feel like if any U.S. company would have a chance with Nintendo, we are probably in the best position ... At some point, getting Nintendo would be a career moment and I honestly believe a good move for both companies."
Ultimately, Spencer didn't want to do a hostile takeover of Nintendo, so he settled for playing the "long game" when it came to acquiring it. This same email also reveals that Microsoft was interested in acquiring Warner Bros. Interactive around the same time as Bethesda, although the lack of any WB IP ownership was its undoing, Spencer is also as intrigued about acquiring Valve as it was Nintendo.
It's worth noting that this email is from over three years ago, and these acquisition ambitions might have been quelled following changing economic conditions and the rocky and expensive process of acquiring Activision Blizzard. 

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Starfield Overdesigned quest guide
Jules greeting the player at Walter's business in Starfield.

As you get deeper into Starfield, more quests with greater rewards and more interesting plots will open up to you. The Overdesigned quest is given by Walter after a key story mission and has you joining his company as a consultant to help design a new ship. Whether or not you've spent much time in the custom shipbuilding part of Starfield or not, your character certainly isn't experienced in all the nuances of design, marketing, budget, and taking on a general producer role. If you're nervous about jumping into the business side of things and making the tough calls, here's a full guide to the Overdesigned quest in Starfield.
Overdesigned walkthrough

After getting the quest by talking to Walter, your first step will be to head to his Stroud-Ecklund space station to meet his team, which is working on a new ship design. Once you arrive, you will meet Jules, who will lay out the major roadblocks you've been brought on to solve, first of which is the budget.

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