New Starfield update finally adds an essential Bethesda RPG feature: instantly eating everything in sight

(Image credit: Bethesda / rabbitkingdom (via Reddit))

Rejoice, Starfield foodies. Thanks to the RPG's latest update, you can now eat and drink stuff on sight without needing to pick it up first.

Starfield update 1.8.86 patch notes arrived today, and while the headliner is DLSS support for PC players – sure to be a welcome performance boost for folks with Nvidia GPUs equipped for DLSS, DLAA, Reflex Low Latency, and/or frame generation – the community favorite is sure to be the long-awaited one-button chow-down.

Unlike previous Bethesda RPGs, Starfield requires players to pick up food items like the now-iconic Chunks and less-iconic sandwiches before actually consuming them, adding a cumbersome inventory-opening middleman to the otherwise cathartic process of sucking down any discovered snacks like a junk food vacuum. This might sound like a small problem – and let's be honest, it is – but it kind of destroyed the RPG's entire food and drink system, which was lame.

Small problems that come up a lot can turn into big problems, and that was certainly the case here. See, the foods and drinks of Starfield don't actually heal very much, so you aren't missing out on much by not consuming them on sight. But you know in the back of your head that you could get some free health out of them, which would be nice. But this fights against the ingrained urge to not pick them because they aren't worth the added inventory weight or the fuss of opening your menu. You see what I mean? That one little annoyance puts you off engaging with a whole chunk of loot.

Now you don't have to worry about that. Food items are now interactables to be devoured without hesitation, just like the RPG gods intended. Sure, Starfield's food kinda sucks for healing, but that's now canceled out by this ease-of-use. A big win for space gluttons.

The rest of the patch is filled out by quest bugs, performance fixes – which are said to be a "huge step forward" according to early tests – and various gameplay adjustments. One standout is this line: "Adjusted stealth to be a bit more forgiving." A lot of players have complained about Starfield NPCs inexplicably spotting their sneaky asses from a mile away through multiple walls like they've got bat-grade sonar, so this hopefully softens that a bit.

Now if we can just get an AI adjustment that gets crewmates to move out the dang way.

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.