Starfield lead designer reacts to the RPG surpassing 12 million players: "It’s hard not to feel pretty great about that"

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"As a game dev, your one true goal is for fans to play and love your game"

Starfield trailer
(Image credit: Bethesda)

Three months after launch, Starfield has over 12 million players, and the game's lead designer and writer Emil Pagliarulo feels "pretty great" about it. 

The veteran Bethesda developer shared his reaction to Starfield's impressive player count on Twitter. "I mean, as a game dev, your one true goal is for fans to play and love your game," Pagliarulo writes. "12 million fans? Hard not to feel pretty great about that."

Responding to a comment that players don't necessarily equate to fans, Pagliarulo posted a follow-up tweet to clarify that he's very much aware this doesn't mean that 12 million people enjoyed the game. "And yeah, yeah, not all 12 million players are fans," he said. "I know. 12 million players, that's what I meant. Don't get your tighty whities in a bunch."

Many who do consider themselves fans were keen to show their appreciation for the epic space-based RPG in the comments. "You and your team should be proud of what you released. Starfield is an amazing story and sandbox that gamers (and fans!) will spend years in," one wrote. Another said, "It's the best game I've played in years. Congratulations on a huge success."

Xbox boss Phil Spencer certainly considers himself a fan. "Starfield has been awesome," he said when confirming that the game had reached 12 million players, adding that he sensed early on that it was going to be a "pretty special game." Spencer is also hoping that Bethesda's latest offering will go the distance and be a 12-year hit, just like Skyrim, which has managed to shift over 60 million copies since its release in 2011.

For more epic adventures to lose yourself in, check out our guide to games like Starfield.

Anne-Marie Ostler
Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.