Starfield aliens
Leaving behind the scorched Earth, many are wondering if Starfield aliens are floating around somewhere in the Settled Systems.
With Bethesda finally reaching out into the depths of space, many of us are hoping to lay our eyes on some Starfield aliens. Through the Elder Scrolls and Fallout, we’ve met plenty of human characters – and a few mutants to boot – so it’s exciting to think what the iconic RPG developer could bring to the table with alien lifeforms. But we’re not talking about creatures and beasts, we mean intelligent aliens. So, we’ve put together this guide for everything we know about any in-game alien life so far.
For the latest on when you can finally get your hands on this epic RPG, check out our guides to the Starfield release date, Starfield trailer, Starfield showcase, and Starfield collector’s edition. Or, to figure out the humans of this universe, see our Starfield factions and Starfield NPC list.
Are there any Starfield aliens?
Unfortunately, we’ve seen little to suggest intelligent Starfield aliens in Bethesda’s foray into space-bound science fiction. We say ‘intelligent’ as there are plenty of monstrous-looking Starfield creatures in the gameplay footage we’ve seen so far, but these look more like traditional and exaggerated animals. What we’re really looking for is something we can talk to, trade with, and quite possibly loot.
The only hint at an advanced civilization has been in the form of Artifacts – mysterious objects with anomalous properties, and key to Starfield’s main story – but we don’t know if we’ll actually meet the creators of the Artifacts, or if the Artifacts are in-fact manmade.
Still, the lack of evidence so far doesn’t mean there won’t be any alien factions. It does seem like a bit of an open goal for Bethesda, but we do know from previous experience that the developer likes to concentrate on its human characters. There is some hope, with Todd Howard stating “there is a way we approach it” when asked about Starfield aliens in 2021, but the mystery there keeps us guessing.
Can I play as an alien in Starfield?
As much as we all want to be able to live our science fiction fantasies, it doesn’t look like you can play as an alien in Starfield. The game’s core premise focuses on the future of humanity, so it does seem a little counterintuitive to play as an alien species. Still, there’s always a possibility that Bethesda might surprise us, and we’ll be back to update this guide if we hear anything about possible aliens in the Settled System.
Otherwise, there could well be a Starfield mod or DLC in the future that will give you the option.
Have there been any aliens before?
The most familiar alien encounter in a Bethesda franchise was back in Fallout 3 with the DLC Mothership Zeta. Considering the Fallout series is dedicated to the nuclear apocalypse, Mothership Zeta was a sudden and literal departure from the Earth to an alien spaceship, complete with new weapons, armors, and quests. They have since seen returns in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, though in lesser capacities.
As a result, it wouldn’t be too unusual to see at least one Starfield alien somewhere in the Settled Systems, even if it was just an Easter Egg.
Ultimately, we won’t know if humanity is alone in the universe until the release date. However, we have high hopes that if aliens aren’t present in the base game that they soon will be as Starfield DLC.
