It’s no secret that Bethesda’s newest venture, Starfield, is the talk of the town. All fans of the gaming world are waiting for this cosmic RPG. You can feel it in fan-made theories, lively social media debates, and even the sentiments of popular figures like Post Malone.
But in the weeks leading up to Starfield’s grand announcement on September 6th, it’s clear that there’s an undercurrent of tension. At the core of this fear is information leakage. From screenshots of in-game messages, to someone’s thoughts after 17 hours of him supposedly under a non-disclosure agreement, and most notably details about in-game achievements, unauthorized and very early The disclosure provoked mixed reactions.
Leakage, on the other hand, is not harmful. Anyway, at least not yet. The latest details don’t really detract from the core experience of the game. Gamers still have to experience it for themselves. However, this perspective is not universal. Others argue that as the release date approaches, more leaks will be revealed, potentially ruining the important surprise that the Bethesda team has painstakingly crafted.
Everyone knows I don’t like leaks. I don’t even like the media reporting someone’s leaks. What if a major distributor does it to circumvent the embargo they impose in their own regulations? Oh, I really hate that. π
β Matt Fraley πΊπ¦ (@PR_Flak) August 19, 2023
Bethesda’s head of public affairs, Matt Frahley, was outspoken about his disgust at such leaks in a widely-reacted statement.
Without a direct reference to Starfield, his words painted a vivid image. The meticulous effort developers put into any project can be undermined by undue exposure. But in an age where information is the currency, major media outlets often take advantage of the public’s insatiable hunger for the latest scoop to use these leaks to sidestep embargoes.
But it’s also not right to accuse the dealer of doing the job. The root of the problem here lies elsewhere. Bethesda Game Studio’s encryption methods and/or perhaps their decision to offer preloads so early in an attempt to gather reviews ahead of Starfield’s early access release date.
To make matters worse, Bethesda seems to have backfired by distributing review codes that obscure the profile of even those with unproven credentials. To spread, it’s not impossible that someone would risk breaking his NDA without knowing the consequences.
In other words, publicity is publicity. It doesn’t matter if it’s negative or positive. People still talk about you, and that’s what matters.
Since its initial announcement, Starfield’s joke has been that it’s a quintessential Bethesda game, a great experience despite the expected bugs and issues. But those who have the impudence to venture deep into the depths of the universe’s spoiler-filled realm will find that the leaks say very little about the game’s problems.
In this case, inadvertent leaks act as a potential, and more importantly, organic marketing tool.
It could also be argued that Bethesda itself has leaked certain details. It probably won’t happen, but it turns out it’s not impossible. After all, the more people talk about Starfield, the better.
Still, there’s a delicate balance between press freedom and non-disclosure agreement (NDA) compliance. Insiders bound by NDAs may not share proprietary details directly, but that doesn’t stop them from discussing third-party leaks. There are gray areas and moral dilemmas in this. It also raises the question of how one can distinguish between genuine and fabricated leaks, especially when NDAs prevent anyone in the know from revealing them.
For the gaming community, leaks can bring mixed emotions. The exhilaration of having an early insight, or the frustration of ruining a pivotal moment. But for developers, these are a betrayal of trust and can cost years of hard work.
As the release of Starfield approaches, this episode prompts reflection on the responsibility of the gaming community. The thirst for knowledge is natural, but there’s probably merit in waiting for creators to share their art in the way it was intended. After all, the magic of discovery, especially in the vast world of a game like Starfield, is a joy worth saving.