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Starfield rating promises sex, drugs, and microtransactions

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) just spilled the beans on microtransactions and risque content in its Starfield rating.

Starfield rating promises sex, drugs, and microtransactions

The Entertainment Software Rating Board has rated Starfield ahead of the game’s September release, and the board’s findings have been made public. The ESRB has confirmed that Starfield will feature “In-Game Purchases”, sexual content, and powerful drugs.

This isn’t the first time that a ratings board has shed light on some of the more mature aspects of Starfield’s gameplay. Back in March 2023, the Australian ratings board gave the game an R18+ rating, citing in-game drug use as the main justification. At that point, the board also claimed that the game featured no sex and only very mild nudity.

Now, thanks to the ESRB, we know that you can take your Starfield companions to bed after all – it just seemingly won’t be shown onscreen. The ESRB confirmed that “suggestive themes” feature in the game, as well as suggestive pillow-talk that plays out after romantic encounters.

Be warned: Starfield’s romantic one-liners are pretty cheesy.

  • “Life is a sexually transmitted disease that’s a hundred percent fatal”
  • “I’m all for getting a little wild, but next time let’s try it without the jetpacks
  • “Talk about seeing stars, whew… that was amazing.”

Beyond suggestive themes, the ESRB has also stated that the drug, Aurora, can be purchased from vendors in Starfield, and produce a screen distortion effect when taken. Aurora is a drug produced by the Xenofresh Corporation in the city of Neon. Little is known about it other than Aurora being illegal everywhere in the Settled Systems but for its place of origin.

Given Aurora is a hallucinogen, this makes sense. However, the actual effects on the player’s skills, stats, or standing with NPCs remains to be seen.

Similarly, the ESRB’s mention of microtransactions in Starfield only confirms that “In-Game Purchases” will be present, but not what form they will take. The ESRB could be referencing future DLC or Creation Club store microtransactions. Depending on Bethesda’s approach, this could herald positive news for Starfield fans, but we likely won’t hear any concrete details until the Starfield showcase in June.

Likewise, we probably won’t learn any more about Starfield’s story or see what the ESRB’s revelations about the Spacefarer’s mining background entails until Starfield Direct.

“Players assume the role of a miner tasked with finding Artifacts across the galaxy.”

The ESRB’s rating might explain how you get the Cutter tool which you’ll use to gather resources for your outpost building, but it’s unclear how your role as a miner affects your choice of background or skills.

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Tim has sunk at least a thousand hours into Bethesda games over the years, and has now completed Starfield with over 200 hours in-game. So, if he's not busy updating our Starfield weapons database, he’s eagerly installing the best Starfield mods and DLC, or planning his dream outpost.