Update: A new teaser trailer for "Starfield" suggests that it will be a cross between "Skyrim" and "The Expanse"

"Starfield," the next RPG from Bethesda, developer of "Skyrim" and "Fallout 4," is reportedly scheduled for release in 2022 and will likely be an Xbox Series X and PC exclusive

While news of Starfield's likely Xbox/PC exclusivity had been predicted since Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax (Bethesda's parent company), several analysts had expected the game to be released in 2021 A tweet from Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier suggested the game would be released in 2022

Schreier's claim that the game will be released in the second half of 2022, rather than the first half of this year, is even worse news for Xbox fans rumors about the release date of Starfield have been floating around for some time, but Schreier is one of the most reputable industry one of the most reputable sources of information, so there is a strong possibility that the game will not be released until 2022

At least the leaks have been tempered somewhat, as Schreier also claims that Bethesda plans to show off Starfield at E3 2021 This would be very welcome, since we basically know nothing about the game other than a vague teaser and logo Hopefully next month's E3 showcase will confirm actual gameplay and a release date

Oddly enough, if "Starfield" is not released this year, both "Deathloop" and "GhostWire" will be exclusive to the PS5, which means that Bethesda's 2021 titles will effectively be PS5 exclusive: because "Deathloop" and "GhostWire: Tokyo (developed by Arkane and Tango Gameworks, respectively, both published by Bethesda) will be timed exclusives on Sony's console This is probably not at all what Microsoft envisioned in its first year of ownership of Bethesda

Starfield being available this year also means that the Xbox Series X is relying solely on "Halo Infinite" to battle the PS5 this holiday season Since Sony has already released several exclusives this year and still has more releases in the pipeline, including "Horizon Forbidden West," the delay of "Starfield" to 2022 would be a major blow to the current Xbox software lineup

Perhaps by the time Starfield is released, purchasing a next-generation console will actually be easier, rather than the headache it currently is If you're still in the market for a new console, keep an eye out for Xbox Series X restocking information and PS5 restocking information