Starfield has been rated by the ESRB, and the rating summary contains a brief description of what players can expect from the game's romantic encounters. As one of the most anticipated games for 2023, Starfield will be the subject of a showcase from Microsoft in June 2023 that will give players the best look yet at the upcoming sci-fi role-playing game.
Bethesda Game Studios plans to release Starfield in September of this year, nearly five years after the developer's last big console release, Fallout 76, which launched in November 2018. The studio is perhaps best known for Skyrim, which is enduringly popular more than a decade after it launched, and the prospect of a brand-new IP from Bethesda is an exciting one for fans. As the release date approaches, Starfield rumors and leaks have been coming in thick and fast. While most of these leaks and rumors should be taken with a grain of salt, information gleaned from various ratings bodies is typically the most reliable.
The ESRB rating for Starfield reveals that there will be some sexually suggestive dialogue and refers to the player sharing a bed with other characters. This detail is interesting because Starfield earned a Restricted rating from the Australian Classification Board (ACB) that states that there is no sexual content in the game. The ACB classification does mention "Moderate Impact" language, and it seems like this includes profanity as well as suggestive dialogue. The ACB classification also mentions "Very Mild Impact" nudity, so it appears that the game will not be visually explicit but will include intimate romance options.
As with most ESRB ratings, there are a handful of dialogue examples in the summary. One example goes, "I'm all for getting a little wild, but next time let's try it without the jetpacks.” Another refers to life as a fatal sexually transmitted disease. This could imply that it is possible to have children in the game. However, this is pure speculation. The ESRB gave Starfield a Mature rating, likely due to the prominence of the fictional drug called Aurora that earned the game its Restricted rating from the ACB.
While one cannot draw too many conclusions from the rating summary, it is evident that there will be romance and intimacy in Starfield, but it will be mostly limited to suggestive dialogue. Unfortunately, the lackluster release of Redfall has some fans concerned about Starfield. Hopefully Microsoft and Bethesda will lay some of these concerns to rest with the upcoming Starfield Direct in June.
Starfield releases September 6 on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: ESRB