Starfield hasnt even debuted yet, but its already a topic of conversation for an unexpected reason: its startup screen. This came about after a former Blizzard developer criticized it. In response, Pete Hines, Bethesdas Head of Global Distribution, came to the defense of the game, stating that the criticism is "unprofessional."
But lets break it down—what happened? Mark Kern, a former Blizzard developer, made a post on Twitter sharing a leaked screenshot of Starfields startup screen. He commented that a title screen says a lot about a game, and Starfields screen shows it was made by a team that "didnt care."
Heres what Kern said about Starfields startup screen:
"The look of title screens. A games title screen can reveal so much about how rushed the team was and how proud they were of their work. Starfields title screen shows a rushed delivery schedule by an overworked, passionate team, or a team that didnt care. Title screens are usually done at the end of development. Teams are too busy making the core game. Its quite common for the title screen to change completely once the game is gold or in patch 0. Teams that take pride want to show a good picture and usually redo it just before launch."
For many, Kerns words imply that the developer is insinuating Starfield will be a rushed release made without care. This has prompted many to defend the game, showcasing title screens from games like ELDEN RING or The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which demonstrate that a simple title screen doesnt equate to low quality.
Pete Hines steps up to defend Starfield and its development team
Pete Hines, one of the leaders at Bethesda, joined the conversation. In a post on Twitter, the Head of Global Distribution clarified that the Starfield team simply designed the title screen they wanted for their game.
Moreover, Hines highlighted that, while everyone is entitled to share an opinion, he finds Kerns attitude "unprofessional." This is because Kern is casting doubt on whether Bethesda Game Studios cares about Starfields quality.
"They design what they want, and thats been our menu for years, and its one of the first things we decide. Having an opinion is one thing. Questioning the care of a developer because you wouldve done it differently is very unprofessional coming from another developer," Hines responded to a fan who asked for his opinion on Kerns statements.
As of now, Kern hasnt made any comments about Hines response.
So, what do you think of this controversy? Do you have any issues with Starfields startup screen? Let us know in the comments.
Starfield is set to debut on September 6 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.
