Who are the Starfield Freestar Collective faction? In Starfield, there are five major factions each with independent beliefs, a rich lore to learn about, and their very own missions to proffer players. Ranging vastly from a group of space pirates to a megacorp, players can join every faction in Starfield and decide how they’ll play out their allegiances.
Among the ample Starfield faction choices is the Freestar Collective, a group dedicated to providing personal and independent freedoms for its members. So, what does it take to become a prominent figure in a seemingly peaceful force in the Starfield universe? We’ve put together all the information we know so far ahead of the Starfield release date from Bethesda, including who they are, which Starfield companions are linked to the faction, where they’re based, and how to join them.
Who are the Freestar Collective?
A simple way to describe the Freestar Collective is a group of space cowboys… pretty cool, huh? Bethesda has described the Freestar Collective as the “space western fantasy” in Starfield.
As a non-centralized government, the Freestar Collective is a loose confederation of three distinct star systems: Cheyenne, Volii, and Narion. This sets the Freestar Collective apart from other factions as they focus less on the straight and narrow. We’ll get more into how they came to be below.
The Freestar Collective is the second largest faction in the Settled Systems, behind the United Colonies. Starfield begins 20 years after an epic Colony War between the Freestar Collective and the UC. While it ended in peace, the two sides have ongoing tension.
During Starfield Direct, Emil Pagliarulo described the Freestar Collective as a “wild and independent coalition of star systems,” and during gameplay, a character says that to be one of the Freestar Rangers, you’ll rely on “judgment and intuition to do what’s best for the people.”
The Freestar Rangers were founded in 2221 as “an elite protective and investigative force dedicated to serving all citizens of the Freestar Collective”.
Where is the Freestar Collective based?
When it comes to the Starfield lore and timeline, the Freestar Collective has quite an abundant history. In 2167, almost 200 years before Starfield, the Cheyenne system was settled by a man called Solomon Coe. If you’ve heard that name before during your Starfield data-gathering mission, you may be thinking about his descendant, ex-Freestar Ranger turned Constellation companion Sam Coe.
After settling in Cheyenne, Solomon founded the settlement Akila, which you can find out more about in our Starfield Akila City guide, now known as the home of the Freestar Collective. He then invited the Volii System, which you can learn about in the Starfield Neon City guide, to join Cheyenne in an alliance. Shortly after, another system, Narion, joined the Freestar Collective following its conflict with the United Colonies.
During a Location Insight video about Akila City, lead design director Emil Pagliarulo describes the city as a home to “a variety of people, but they all have one thing in common – they believe in the sanctity of personal freedom and individuality,” which just about sums up the Freestar Collective’s overarching mission dedicated to peacekeeping duties.
How to join the Freestar Collective
It’s not entirely clear how players will be able to join the Freestar Collective, but since we have confirmation that all factions are joinable, it’s only a matter of time before we find out.
Like the other major groups, other than perhaps the rebellious Starfield Crimson Fleet faction, joining up happens in the faction’s HQ by accepting missions to form allegiances and prove your dedication. So, perhaps joining up will happen at Akila City’s stronghold and defender’s headquarters, The Rock. If the space cowboy life’s for you, don your hat and boots and get ready to lock in.
Factions will play a major role in Bethesda’s upcoming space RPG, much like Bethesda’s Fallout and Elder Scrolls series, so being in the know is vital. After you enjoy our Freestar Collective guide, check out our guides on Starfield Constellation, Starfield Ryujin Industries, and the Starfield United Colonies, which all comprise the settled colonies in space.
Still looking for more? While a good Starfield wiki can be a handy source of information, our new Starfield Database goes further, offering you daily news, searchable databanks, and even interactive tools.