Starfield came in for a lot of criticism when it released back in 2023, with many claiming that Bethesda's first attempt at a sci-fi space epic simply didn't live up to the claims Todd Howard had been shouting into the ether for several years previously.
That said, there was a solid game there that has since served as the foundation for some impressive updates that have brought Starfield much closer to the original expectations of its audience. The addition of land rovers has made planetary exploration less tiresome and the Creation Kit has allowed players to mod the game to their heart's content.
Equally, the arrival of the Shattered Space DLC did reinvigorate things, without being a truly groundbreaking addition of the ilk seen in other Bethesda games.
Unfortunately, one of the biggest bones of contention has remained a problem - travel between planets. Essentially, it has been impossible to manually fly between two planets up to now, with many complaining that this negatively affects the feel of the exploration elements of the game.
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As confirmed by Synth Potato over on Twitter/X, new analysis of upcoming code in the game's update files has revealed a mysterious "cruise" mechanic that relates to interplanetary travel. What exactly this will look like is unclear, but it has led to cautious optimism from the player base. "Agree, not to get too carried away here, it may not ever get released or may mean something else. But sounds promising," said one fan over on Reddit.
"If this is true then great, Todd my life is yours again. Until there is official confirmation I'll try not getting too excited, have to see the implementation," another added.
Whatever it does turn out to be, improved space travel has easily been the most requested feature from Starfield players, with many pointing to epic titles like No Man's Sky as demonstrations of what they're looking for. Whether Todd Howard and the team are listening, remains to be seen.