Starfield's Early Access Release Times Have Already Been Revealed

So … is the GMT or the CEST time correct? Since one is AM and the other PM.
Should be 1 hour apart, not 13.

Do we know anything about pre-loading, @FraserG? I have the edition with the watch on pre-order, which I understand will be dispatched in time (no pun intended!) for early access to the game, but if we cannot access the game until 1 a.m. does this mean that is when we can first download it too?

It could all be moot anyway as I may well still be playing through Baldur's Gate 3 on the PC anyway, but just in case I have finished my first run in time, I am curious as to when I can actually play the Starfield starting at 1 a.m. or whether that is when I can download it.

Thanks...

So just 20 days left - I can already smell the 'whatever it is that powers space ships' fuel 😄

Cool. Thank you as always, @FraserG... 👍

Ah no visiting New Zealand for this…almost here, just 3 more weeks. I’ve missed my Xbox as mostly I’ve been focused on Final Fantasy 16 and Tears of the Kingdom, but now the PS5 and Switch are taking a break.

6 days early!? Man, they know they're gonna get my money, don't they...

Damn almost a full week earlier, I think I’m gonna cope and buy the premium upgrade.

It's sad that it won't be a true day 1 gamepass release. I'm not sure why the industry let's them get away with this marketing dance they do where "play it day 1 with game pass" is supposed to be the main selling feature for the service but then they claim that you're playing some "early access" version of the game when you pay for the premium edition. Like we're all just supposed to agree that they aren't the ones playing day 1, that it is actually day -5.

Whilst you are right, @BacklogBrad, it is also the case that those that are able to play it earlier are paying for the privilege. Some are paying a great deal for that privilege. Strictly speaking, the day it is made available to everyone not buying the top tier editions, or who are playing it on the Game Pass, are, effectively, playing it Day One. Semantics, I know, but I guess that that is how they are able to 'get away with it', as you put it...

@BacklogBrad I can't blame them really for making a little extra money like others do ( diablo for example ) if they dont they are gonna add it to everyone else , if ppl want to play it early ( like me ) then gd for them, it's been proven lots of times ppl will pay for early access with other companies

@Fiendish-Beaver its weird considering their biggest focus seems to be on getting you to subscribe to Game Pass but to then put an incentive into buying the most expensive version of the game that contradicts the main selling feature of Game Pass. Surely they don't expect people to subscribe AND buy the premium edition of 1st party games. Why do I feel like a sucker for subscribing to Game Pass Ultimate instead of paying for the game?

I probably wouldn't pay for the early access if i wasn't subscribed and I'm not actually that upset over it. It is mostly just annoying that they would fly so close to false advertising the biggest draw to their service. It would be one thing if a major 3rd party was doing this for "day 1" gamepass games but its their 1st party games.

Every exec at Xbox is constantly tweeting or speaking the words "day 1 on gamepass." It just bugs me that there is actually a different, earlier day 1 available to people who purchase a version of the game.

They made it seem like the watch was going to have some kinda game connectivity, I wish they’d talk about it more.

I almost pre-ordered the Collector's Edition because of the watch, lol.
But I resisted and went with the controller and headset instead.

After recently upgrading to the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, I don't regret missing out on this watch now.

Can't wait.

Early access here i come!

I think this might be the only game I actually buy for the rest of the year.

Are we gonna love it or is it gonna be another Redfall??? It’s so intriguing!!! 😆 😆

Stupid question, but this is only for the digital version, I guess?

Preordered the “Premium Edition” from amazon, at the end of July. It is looks like the disc-based Standard Edition, but with a download code for the Premium content stuff.

Release date for Premium edition content says Sept 1st, and the rest is being released (and delivered, I imagine) a week later.

I suppose this means that I technically won’t have “Early Access”?

So I can play this on August 31st at 8PM. Good god I picked the right time to take vacation.

I've ordered the Constellation Edition. I was enticed by the watch and box. Possibly not worth it, but I never get special editions of games and thought I'd treat myself this once.

But I go away on the 2nd for a week, so likely won't even be able to take advantage at all of the early access. Ah well.

@Matthewnh If the disc doesn't arrive on the same day you'll prob need to snag a 14 day trial of gamepass and download the game that way. (if you don't have gamepass already). Once you added in your amazon digital code for the premium access plus dlc you can access the gamepass version from Sept 1st. Once you get the disc on the 6th you can just cancel your gamepass trial if required and just use the disc to play (no need to redownload the game).

@BacklogBrad I'm with you, Braddybabes. I shall follow your adventures from here on out.

@Darylb88

Nice one.
Thanks, I would not have thought of that.
A few weeks to go yet, so lets see what happens.

Edit, checked it all out, and joined Game Pass Ultimate, because it seems like a really good deal.

Thanks again.

@BacklogBrad well it is by rights. There is almost ALWAYS a premium edition of AAA games that allow early access which usually comes with the 120 dollar edition. That being said Xbox is allowing you to only pay 10 which NO OTHER company would allow. I have had Gamepass/Xbox Live since the OG Xbox and it's a sweet thing to allow. I paid retail for the game just to get the Constellation edition and probably would have either way. The fact that your getting early access for the low price of 10 is a win, take it.

@BacklogBrad Again you are getting day one access which refers to the standard launch date. This is nothing new I've been buying into early access editions for awhile now. They still have PC and whatnot to which doesn't have as many Gamepass subscribers. The fact that you can upgrade the game from Gamepass for only 10 bucks is a huge service I've never seen seen before. So if it isn't worth 10 bucks to you then it's not play Sept 6. You weren't robbed is my point. You get to play day one or pay 10 bucks for the version a lot of people are paying 80 to 120 for.

@Fragslayer I have no issue with the practice of early access premium editions. I think it sucks that as a game pass ultimate subscriber I have to avoid the internet for a week so im not spoiled on an Xbox 1st party game. For all the "play it day 1 with gamepass" talk I will not in fact be playing it day 1.

Still excited to play but they really fumbled everything by losing out on baldurs gate at launch. Now people will be straight up comparing it to the console release of one of the best rpgs of all time and one that’s ps5 exclusive for now.

@BacklogBrad People who buy the standard edition to play it "Day One" have to avoid the internet for a week to not be spoiled by those who pay more for the early access version - and they paid $70.