It is rare that a game's start screen becomes the epicenter of a debate that ropes in heavyweights of the industry, fans, and casual gamers. But the start screen of Bethesda's latest offering, Starfield, has done just that.
Over the weekend, Mark Kern, a former Blizzard developer, took to Twitter (or X, rather) and threw shade at Bethesda's minimalist design. In a thread that, for some reason, captured the attention of many, Kern suggested the game's start screen reflects either "hasty shipping deadlines by a passionate team overworked" or perhaps indicates "a team that didn't care."
There's a longstanding argument in the industry surrounding the importance of a game's introductory screen. It sets the tone, being the first impression players receive, as some would say. Kern hinted at the latter, suggesting that the start screens typically manifest at the end of a game's development, being a reflection of a team's pride or lack thereof.
You'd think that this was the end of it, but you'd be wrong. Pete Hines, Bethesda's head of publishing, didn't bother to take his sweet time to defend his team and their vision. In a resounding yet professional retort, Hines pointed out that the minimalist start screen is part of Bethesda's design DNA, consistent across their RPGs for over two decades. "Having an opinion is one thing. Questioning out a developer's 'care' because you would have done it different is highly unprofessional coming from another 'dev'," Hines wrote.
