A former Bethesda Game Studios designer has thrown cold water on the idea of a Starfield 2, telling the outlet FRVR that the original game did not sell well enough to justify a full sequel. The comments, first reported on September 24, 2026, land three years after Starfield’s 2023 launch and add a specific, named voice to a debate that fans have been having in forums and comment sections since the game’s mixed critical reception.
What Kurt Kuhlmann Actually Said
Kurt Kuhlmann, who worked as a Lead Systems Designer at Bethesda and contributed to Starfield’s development, gave the most direct assessment of the sequel’s odds to date. Speaking to FRVR, he said: “I don’t think Starfield was anywhere near successful enough to do a Starfield 2,” a line that outlets including IGN and TheGamer picked up and ran with almost immediately.
That is a notably blunt statement from someone who actually built the game, not an outside critic piling on after the fact. Kuhlmann is speaking from the inside, about a studio’s internal read on whether a project cleared the bar Bethesda sets for greenlighting a numbered follow-up. His phrasing, “anywhere near,” suggests the gap isn’t marginal. It reads as a wide miss, not a close call that could go either way with the right pitch.
Reporting on the FRVR interview stresses that this is Kuhlmann’s personal assessment, not an official Bethesda statement. No public sales figure, player count, or internal metric has been published to confirm or refute his read. The claim that Starfield 2 will “likely never happen” is the framing multiple outlets used to summarize his comments, but it remains his opinion as a former staffer, not a company announcement.
Starfield’s 2023 Launch, in Context
Starfield arrived in September 2023 as Bethesda’s first new IP in roughly a quarter century, a follow-up act to Skyrim and Fallout 4 that carried enormous expectations. It launched as an Xbox and PC exclusive, backed by Microsoft’s marketing machine and positioned as a system-seller for the Xbox Series X|S generation. The game is still listed for sale today on Steam and remains supported through Bethesda’s official channels, including its Bethesda.net game page.
The critical response, tracked on aggregators like Metacritic, settled into “good, not great” territory relative to the sky-high pre-launch hype. That gap between expectation and reception is the backdrop against which Kuhlmann’s comments land. A game doesn’t need to flop outright to fall short of “anywhere near successful enough” when the bar was set by two of the best-selling RPGs of the last fifteen years.
No confirmed sales total for Starfield has been published in the reporting around this story, and none should be assumed. Kuhlmann’s comment is a qualitative judgment from someone inside the building, not a citation of a specific unit-sold figure. Treat any number you see elsewhere online with caution until Bethesda or parent company Microsoft publishes one directly.
Why “Anywhere Near Successful Enough” Is a Loaded Bar
Bethesda’s internal bar for greenlighting a sequel has historically been high because its flagship games take years to build and cost accordingly. Skyrim shipped in 2011 as a follow-up to 2006’s Oblivion, a five-year gap. Fallout 4 arrived in 2015, seven years after Fallout 3. Those sequels happened because the prior entries were commercial phenomena, not merely solid sellers. Kuhlmann’s framing implies Starfield didn’t clear that same threshold, which is a much higher standard than “did it turn a profit.”
That distinction matters for how readers should interpret this story. A game can recoup its budget, sell millions of copies, and still fail to hit the internal number a publisher needs to justify committing another six-plus years and a nine-figure budget to a direct sequel over other projects competing for the same studio resources. Kuhlmann’s comment reads like an insider explaining that math, not a claim that Starfield lost money.
The Case Against Starfield 2
Beyond Kuhlmann’s direct statement, the case against a sequel rests on how Bethesda and Microsoft have been reshuffling resources since 2023. Bethesda has spent the past year leaning harder into its established franchises rather than expanding new ones. The publisher recently brought Obsidian Entertainment into the fold as a second studio dedicated to Fallout, a move covered in a separate shattered.io report, which signals where Bethesda sees its safest bets for the next several years.
Meanwhile, Xbox’s broader restructuring has touched nearly every corner of its first-party portfolio. Halo, one of Microsoft’s oldest tentpole franchises, moved to Activision along with four additional Xbox studios, as detailed in shattered.io’s coverage of that transition. When a publisher is willing to hand off a franchise as established as Halo, it’s a sign the whole first-party lineup is under review, and newer, less proven IP like Starfield sits lower on the list of priorities.
Bruce Nesmith’s Counterpoint: “One Hell of a Game”
Not every former Bethesda voice shares Kuhlmann’s pessimism. Bruce Nesmith, a former Lead Designer at the studio, has offered a more optimistic read in separate comments. “I’m looking forward to Starfield 2,” Nesmith said, a stance that assumes the sequel is still a live possibility rather than a closed door.
Nesmith went further in a separate interview, describing what a follow-up could look like if Bethesda applies what it learned from the first game. “I think it’s going to be one hell of a game because it’s going to address a lot of the things people are saying, ‘We’re quite there. We’re missing a little bit,’” he said. That’s a designer’s read on the gap between where Starfield landed and where a sequel could go, framed as a fixable distance rather than a fundamental miss.
The two former staffers aren’t necessarily contradicting each other on the facts. Kuhlmann is speaking to whether the business case exists today; Nesmith is speaking to the creative case for what a sequel could become if it gets made. Both can be true at once: a game can be worth improving on paper while still not clearing the commercial bar a publisher needs to fund that improvement.
What Todd Howard Reportedly Wanted
Nesmith’s comments also referenced Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard directly, suggesting a hypothetical sequel could have moved “much closer to the game that Todd had” in mind originally. That’s a notable detail because it implies the shipped version of Starfield was, in some respects, a compromise between ambition and what the team could deliver on schedule, a common story in large-scale game development but one rarely stated this plainly by someone who worked on the project.
No specific details about what that fuller vision entailed have been confirmed publicly. The comment should be read as a general characterization from a former colleague, not a leaked design document or a confirmed roadmap. Readers should treat any elaborate breakdown of “what Starfield 2 would have fixed” circulating online as speculation unless it traces back to an on-record statement from Howard or Bethesda itself.
Bethesda’s Studio Slate Already Points Elsewhere
Studio capacity is a zero-sum resource, and Bethesda’s moves over the past year show where that capacity is going. The Obsidian addition to the Fallout side of the house means two internal teams are now working the franchise that Kuhlmann implicitly contrasted against Starfield’s underperformance. That’s a direct allocation signal: when a publisher doubles down on one franchise’s staffing, it is, by definition, not doubling down on another.
The Elder Scrolls VI also remains somewhere on Bethesda’s horizon, unannounced in detail but widely understood internally to be a priority project competing for the same senior staff who would lead any Starfield sequel. With Fallout expanding to a second studio and The Elder Scrolls still in the pipeline, the practical bandwidth for greenlighting a third major internal effort looks thin, independent of how any individual former developer feels about Starfield’s quality.
Xbox’s Wider Reshuffle Changes the Math
Bethesda doesn’t make these calls in isolation. It operates under Xbox Game Studios, and Xbox has spent 2026 consolidating its internal structure at a scale that touches roughly three-quarters of its portfolio, according to a shattered.io report on the studio reset. When a parent division is merging teams and cutting headcount at that scale, every franchise decision, including whether to fund a Starfield sequel, gets filtered through tighter budget scrutiny than existed at launch in 2023.
The leadership churn around Halo adds another data point. A Halo director was reportedly promoted just 48 hours before a subsequent layoff round hit the studio, a whiplash sequence covered separately by shattered.io. That kind of rapid reversal suggests decisions about which franchises get resourced, and which leaders stay in place to run them, are being made and remade quickly inside Xbox right now. Starfield’s sequel prospects are caught in that same current of instability.
Xbox’s broader 2026 job cuts, which included 268 positions alongside the Halo handoff to Activision, are documented in shattered.io’s coverage of that round. A division absorbing layoffs of that size is not the environment where a studio pitches a new nine-figure, multi-year sequel to a game with a contested commercial track record. The timing works against Starfield 2 regardless of whether Kuhlmann’s specific read on sales is correct.
Starfield vs. Bethesda’s Other Flagship Franchises
Looking at how long it has historically taken Bethesda to greenlight and ship a numbered sequel puts the “three years and no confirmation” timeline for Starfield in perspective. It is not unusual, on its own, for Bethesda to stay quiet on sequel plans this long after a launch. What’s different here is a named former staffer publicly framing that silence as a business decision rather than a scheduling one.
| Franchise | Prior Entry | Numbered Sequel | Gap Between Releases |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Elder Scrolls | Oblivion (2006) | Skyrim (2011) | 5 years |
| Fallout | Fallout 3 (2008) | Fallout 4 (2015) | 7 years |
| Starfield | Starfield (2023) | Starfield 2 (unconfirmed) | 3+ years and counting |
The pattern shows Bethesda is comfortable with long development cycles when a franchise’s prior entry earns that investment. What Kuhlmann’s comments add is a specific claim that Starfield hasn’t earned it, which would break the pattern not because of the timeline, but because of the commercial threshold the previous two examples cleared and Starfield reportedly didn’t.
Timeline: Bethesda and Xbox Moves Shaping 2026
The Kuhlmann interview doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It lands in the middle of a year defined by structural change across Bethesda and its parent division. Here’s how the pieces shattered.io has tracked separately connect to the Starfield 2 question.
| Development | What It Signals for Starfield 2 |
|---|---|
| Obsidian added as a second internal Fallout studio | Franchise investment is concentrating on Fallout, per shattered.io |
| Halo and four Xbox studios shift to Activision | Even flagship IP is being reassigned, per shattered.io |
| Xbox studio reset covers ~75% of the portfolio | Budget scrutiny is at its highest point in years, per shattered.io |
| Halo director promoted 48 hours before layoffs | Leadership decisions are volatile and fast-moving, per shattered.io |
| 268 Xbox jobs cut alongside the Halo handoff | New multi-year projects face a harder pitch internally, per shattered.io |
| Game Pass overhaul leaked amid falling revenue | Subscription economics are pressuring which games get funded, per shattered.io |
Taken together, these six data points describe a division tightening its belt across the board, not singling out Starfield. But that context makes Kuhlmann’s specific comments land harder. A sequel to an underperforming new IP is exactly the kind of project that gets quietly shelved when a division is already cutting jobs and consolidating studios elsewhere.
How This Compares to Other Studios Walking Away From Sequels
Bethesda isn’t the only major publisher quietly stepping back from a sequel to a new-ish IP that didn’t land as hoped. The industry has several recent examples of studios pivoting away from direct follow-ups after a single entry underperformed relative to its budget, choosing instead to fold lessons learned into an entirely new project or double down on an older, proven franchise. What sets this case apart is that the signal came from a named former employee on the record, rather than a publisher quietly letting a franchise go dormant without comment.
That transparency, even if unofficial, gives fans and analysts something concrete to react to instead of years of ambiguous silence. It also puts pressure on Bethesda and Microsoft to eventually clarify their position, since a former staffer’s blunt assessment is now the dominant public narrative around the franchise’s future until the companies say otherwise.
Market and Fan Reaction
The reaction across gaming forums and social media since the story broke has split along familiar lines. Some fans see Kuhlmann’s comments as confirmation of what they already suspected: that Starfield’s exploration-heavy, planet-hopping design didn’t resonate the way Skyrim’s open world did. Others point to Nesmith’s more hopeful comments as evidence that the door isn’t fully closed, and that Bethesda could still return to the setting with a tighter, more focused sequel once its current Fallout and Elder Scrolls commitments clear.
For Xbox specifically, the story adds another data point to a year already defined by franchise uncertainty. Between the Halo handoff to Activision and the broader Game Pass overhaul tied to falling revenue, Starfield’s cloudy sequel status reinforces a narrative that Microsoft’s first-party gaming strategy is in a genuine transition period rather than executing a steady, predictable release cadence.
What Would Have to Change for Starfield 2 to Happen
A handful of concrete shifts could revive the sequel’s odds. A surprise resurgence in Starfield’s player base, driven by a major expansion or a free next-gen-style update, could give Bethesda new data to justify the investment. A stabilized Xbox studio structure, once the current 2026 reset finishes, would also free up the leadership bandwidth currently consumed by reorganization. Finally, an official statement from Todd Howard or Bethesda leadership, even a noncommittal one, would do more to settle the debate than any number of former-employee interviews.
None of those conditions currently exist in confirmed form. Bethesda has not announced plans for a major Starfield update tied to a sales resurgence, the Xbox studio reset is still active rather than finished, and no Bethesda executive has publicly addressed Kuhlmann’s comments as of this writing. Until one of those changes, the “likely never” framing that outlets have attached to this story is the most accurate summary available.
Predictions: Where This Story Goes Next
- Bethesda will likely stay silent on Starfield 2 through the rest of 2026, letting the story fade rather than issuing a direct denial or confirmation.
- Expect more former Bethesda staff to weigh in publicly over the coming weeks, given how much attention Kuhlmann’s comments have drawn across gaming press.
- Any Starfield content news in the near term is more likely to be a smaller update or DLC than a sequel announcement, consistent with the franchise’s current lower-priority status inside Xbox’s portfolio.
- The Elder Scrolls VI and the expanded Fallout slate will continue to absorb the bulk of Bethesda’s public attention and resourcing through 2027.
- If Xbox’s studio reset stabilizes and Game Pass revenue recovers, watch for renewed fan speculation about Starfield’s future resurfacing around any major Xbox showcase event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Starfield 2 officially confirmed by Bethesda?
No. There is no official announcement, release date, or confirmed development status for a Starfield sequel. The current story is based on comments from former Bethesda staff, not a company statement.
What exactly did Kurt Kuhlmann say about a Starfield sequel?
Kuhlmann told FRVR he doesn’t think Starfield was successful enough to justify a Starfield 2, describing the gap as significant rather than marginal, based on his time working on the game as a Bethesda designer.
Who is Kurt Kuhlmann?
Kuhlmann is a former Lead Systems Designer at Bethesda Game Studios who worked on Starfield during its development. He has since left the studio and shared his views on the sequel’s prospects in an interview with FRVR.
Did every former Bethesda developer agree that a sequel is unlikely?
No. Former Bethesda Lead Designer Bruce Nesmith has expressed a more optimistic view, saying he is looking forward to a potential Starfield 2 and describing what an improved sequel could look like.
How did Starfield perform commercially?
No official sales figures for Starfield have been published by Bethesda or Microsoft in the reporting around this story. Kuhlmann’s comments are a qualitative assessment, not a citation of a specific sales number, so any precise figure circulating online should be treated as unverified.
What would change the odds of Starfield 2 happening?
A major resurgence in Starfield’s active player base, a stabilized Xbox studio structure after the current 2026 reorganization, or a direct statement from Bethesda leadership would all shift the picture. None of those have happened yet.
Is Bethesda still supporting Starfield with updates?
Starfield remains listed and available on Steam and Bethesda’s own game page, but this story does not confirm any specific new update or expansion timeline. Check Bethesda’s official channels for current patch and content status.
When could Starfield 2 realistically be announced, if it happens?
There is no confirmed timeline. Given Bethesda’s historical five-to-seven-year gaps between numbered sequels in other franchises, and the current priority placed on Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, any Starfield 2 announcement, if one ever comes, would likely be years away at minimum.
