Star Fieldthe excellent Digipick puzzle game surrounded by 80 hours of sci-fi mediocrity, gets a performance update on Xbox Series X that unlocks frame rates above 30fps. Star FieldThe May update adds the ability to target 30fps, 40fps, 60fps, or an uncapped frame rate – for displays that support VRR running at 120Hz. Displays without VRR will have a choice of 30 fps or 60 fps.
The May update also includes the ability to prioritize visuals or performance for each frame rate goal. Visual mode means the game will do its best to maintain high resolution and full detail of lighting, special effects, and NPCs, while performance reduces the resolution and clarity of those same details. Of course, both modes adjust the game's base resolution alongside intense on-screen action.
Bethesda recommends performance mode when playing at 60fps and above. For Xbox Series X players with 120Hz VRR displays, Star FieldThe default settings are now 40fps, prioritizing visuals.
May 1 display updates bring Xbox Series Star Field closer to its PC counterpart in terms of customization options. The Xbox Series S edition remains capped at 30fps. This is the version I played when I revised Star Field last year, and while a frame rate upgrade won't make the game less bland, its fight scenes would certainly benefit from an increase to at least 40fps. It's a shame that the most popular Xbox Series console doesn't see any frame rate love in today's update.
Additionally, in the May update, Star FieldSurface maps have been redesigned to increase readability on all platforms. The new design shows top-down 3D images of terrain, buildings, and objects like trees and rocks, which makes perfect sense for, you know, a map. The original surface map attempts to create landscapes from white dots on a bright blue background, so this is a welcome improvement. The update also allows players to customize their difficulty options on land and in naval battles, and adds navigation markers to the environment when walking around a planet.
This is Bethesda's fourth and largest project. Star Field updated since the game's release in September 2023. Going live is scheduled for May 15.