After the recent Bethesda bombshell, we now know when Starfield launches for Xbox Series X|S and PC, including day one on Xbox Game Pass. The team's sprawling RPG is set to contain loads of content if past Bethesda games are anything to go by, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the Australian government has taken issue with some of it.
Ahead of the game's September launch, Australia's ratings board has stamped Starfield with a 'Restricted 18+' rating. The classification covers lots of different categories, such as violence and nudity, but only one has pushed the game into the restricted category - "Drug use".
The rating doesn't give us any more information on what exactly is so explicit, but as things stand, Starfield will be given this classification in Australia come September. Here's how the ratings board describes 'Restricted 18+':
"R 18+ material is restricted to adults as it contains content that is considered high in impact for viewers. This includes content that may be offensive to sections of the adult community. A person may be asked for proof of their age before purchasing, hiring or viewing R 18+ films and computer games at a retail store or cinema."
Way back in February 2022, Bethesda spoke of Starfield's 'Neon' locale - a "pleasure city" that will serve as the only legal location to use the game's "Aurora" drug. Could this be the AU gov's sticking point? Who knows, but clearly, drug use will feature fairly prominently in Starfield.