Starfield is not just another game, it is a mission-critical venture for Xbox and its subscription service, Game Pass.

Microsoft just made it clear that Starfield must strike space gold to meet expectations.

As we wait for official release, the effects of the games reverberate through every echelon. Jerret West, a Microsoft executive, puts it in a short and concise way: Starfield is “critically important” for Xbox Game Pass.

A former Netflix employee, West knows some things about the reasons people choose subscriptions. He, as he got spotted by GamesSpot, told GI.biz: “It isn’t questioning whether Starfield will play a role in driving new subscribers to Game Pass.” But it’s not just about bringing in new faces; it’s also about integrating them long-term in the increasingly growing catalog of Xbox titles. The Vampire Survivors, Dungeons of Hinterberg and Jusant have found audiences who don’t typically fork a single-time buy price but are more than happy to discover these gems as part of their subscription.

Starfield is probably one of the few times that matches expectations.

While Game Pass moves forward, Bethesda, now a playper of Microsoft’s billions of dollars, reveals the performance. Starfield is Bethesda’s magnum opus, a galaxy-spanning roleplaying game that takes the studio’s well-designed RPG formula and rockets it to the stratosphere. This game, made public on Day 1 and isn’t groundbreaking. This is the kind of business that makes it obsolete.

This game is often considered a best of the year, if not the decade, and is available for $10 every month on the PC and $11 on the Xbox. Even though you’re at a world-class price, you do not want to lose your energy on a giant game.

And the timing is divine. The game becomes playable even though there’s an all-time old offer for more than a hundred dollars or more, with a new offer of $1 Game Pass. Microsoft retired as soon as Starfield’s arrival. Starfield’s launch isn’t just a game release; it’s a meticulously designed event designed to maximise impact and engagement. Those that subscribe to the Game Pass will still have to wait until September 6 for the standard edition to open, allowing the buzz to reach a fever pitch.

The only thing that may hinder Starfield’s success is if there’s not so many people who goes out of the market to buy an Xbox Series X.

If you’re an Xbox owner, you’re probably already slicing your calendar. If you’re a PS5 owner, you’d better invest in another console, as long as, as we’re honest, Starfield is a system-exempt seller. The cost of that product is low for Microsoft and the whole industry. The problem with the most expensive game is that it doesn’t just change, it set a chord for the software and hardware ecosystem.

If Starfield turns out to be the smash hit it is positioned to be, that is a valid reason for Microsoft’s investment in Bethesda and paved the way for future blockbuster titles such as The Elder Scrolls VI and Fallout 5. Starfield should be a generational title – that can be enjoyed for years, but not once a decade.

Starfield is a test, an important investment, and an investment. You’re still waiting for the opportunity. Microsoft is not just releasing games, they’re defining what Xbox – and of course Game Pass – stands for. They’re saying this is why you bought an Xbox. This is why you subscribed to Game Pass. That sprawling space opera with missions and opportunities is why you’ll stay.”

That’ll be difficult for Starfield to “outsell” Hogwarts Legacy and Modern Warfare 2 at launch, but things tell us that’ll be possible.

The conversation about Starfield isn’t about a new title, it’s about the future of the game and the validity of the Game Pass model, and the next frontier of the game itself. And that is important for everyone that works, from developers to players.