Starfield had a mixed response at launch, with fans expressing disappointment over a lack of engaging content. Former Bethesda developer Nate Purkeypile revealed, during a recent interview, that the company’s increasing bureaucratic processes hindered creativity. He reminisced about the freedom they enjoyed while working on games like Skyrim, stating:

“A lot of the great stuff within Skyrim came from having the freedom to do what you want, as opposed to a game with this whole ‘checklist design’ and ‘design by committee.’”

Purkeypile added that during the development of Skyrim, small teams could explore ideas organically, whereas in the case of Starfield, the rigid structure resulted in a more formulaic approach.

For those who remember the excitement of exploring the vast world of Skyrim, Nate’s comments resonate as a reminder of what could potentially be lost in the current gaming landscape.