Starfield is the seventh-best-selling title in the United States this 2023

What makes this success story even more compelling is the speed at which Starfield climbed the sales charts. Within a few from its launch, it claimed the spot as the seventh best-selling game of the year. This rapid ascent, especially when seen in the context of its release on Game Pass and its Xbox exclusivity, paints a vivid picture of a title that, despite all the criticism, resonated well with gamers.

Circana's executive director and analyst, Mat Piscatella, further offered insights into Starfield's performance. The game outsold other titles, including the new release of Mortal Kombat 1, which secured the eighth spot on the same list.

Starfield's stellar sales performance provides further insight into the potential aftermath of Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media. With over 10 million players, Starfield is a manifest testament to the potency of this partnership and the formidable future possibilities it holds. Bethesda Game Studios titles, known for their longevity, suggest that it will remain a dominant figure in the Xbox ecosystem, especially as new expansions and modding tools are introduced.

On the broader gaming front, the PlayStation 5 maintained its stronghold, emerging as the best-selling console for the month, both in terms of dollar sales and units. This dominance extended to the cumulative sales for the year as well. However, it's interesting to observe that in the midst of this PS5 dominance, a game exclusive to the Xbox and PC platforms managed to make such a profound impact.

It's also worth noting the broader sentiment around Starfield. While there exists a section of gamers and communities with reservations about the title, often influenced by a myriad of factors ranging from platform loyalties to pre-existing notions about Bethesda, the commercial numbers reflect a different story. The game has not only witnessed robust sales but has also fostered a significant player count, as gleaned from platforms like Steam.

Starfield's ascendancy, particularly given its unique constraints and opportunities, is a hallmark of strategic success and potent gameplay that strikes a chord with its audience.

Unfortunately, this might be bad news for those hoping to see future Bethesda titles on other platforms. With Starfield not likely to hit the PlayStation 5 anytime soon if at all, the numbers will likely encourage Microsoft to pursue a similar exclusivity route for The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5. This puts a massive amount of pressure on PlayStation to come up with similar experiences for its platform, which is an added burden as it worries about a similar fate befalling its access to games like Call of Duty and Diablo even if the former isn't set to become exclusive to Xbox for at least a decade.