Starfield is undoubtedly massive, standing tall as Bethesda’s biggest and most successful RPG launch to date. The interstellar experience offers an immersive space adventure with countless characters and planets to observe. As one of 2023’s most highly anticipated games, it’s no wonder that the developer is looking toward Starfield’s future with requested updates. Its most recent patch arrives as a Steam beta update, bringing long-awaited Nvidia DLSS support and more.
If you’ve read our Starfield review, you understand how big Bethesda’s latest RPG game truly is. From its more familiar Skyrim-esque features to its innovative elements, the behemoth developer’s newest game is one you can certainly sink hundreds of hours into. It didn’t launch with everything players expected to see, though. One of the most requested features that Starfield lacks is Nvidia DLSS support.
This lack of support is no longer an issue thanks to the game’s recent 1.8.83 Steam beta update, as it finally “introduces Nvidia DLSS support for our PC players.” Bestheda reveals that compatible Nvidia graphic cards “can now use DLSS Super Resolution, Deep Learning Anti-aliasing (DLAA), Nvidia Reflex Low Latency, and DLSS Frame generation.”
Other performance updates specific to PC players with 1.8.83 include new GPU performance optimizations, which Bethesda says are “more impactful on higher-end cards.” This new beta also brings an improved “renderer threading model” which makes CPU usage on “higher-end systems” more efficient, and FOV slider fixes.
The only graphics-related downside to the beta update is that you may have to keep VSync toggled off while DLSS Frame Generation is active until a future patch drops. The dev team is “working to automatically adjust this setting in a future update” to allow for VSync alongside DLSS Frame Generation.
Gameplay changes are also underway with the update. Starfield finally lets you have your Chunks and eat them too in 1.8.83, as Bethesda writes that the beta patch adds “the ability to ingest food and drink items upon finding them in the environment.” Whether you want to munch on those cube-shaped goodies as soon as you find them or store them for later is up to you.
For a more in-depth look at all of the changes coming with the Starfield beta update and how to test them yourself, check out Bethesda’s official 1.8.83 patch notes on Steam. The beta update is opt-in, so you’ll need to use the separate build download to take part. Bethesda states that “saves created in the beta build will not work in the live game until the update is live,” so you shouldn’t lose any progress.
If you’re looking for other ways to spice your current game up for free, you can look through our rundown on the best Starfield mods. There are more ways to improve your graphics in-game than ever thanks to mod creators’ work. Alternatively, browse around our roundup of the most useful Starfield traits if you’re considering a new build for yourself. You can make the game feel brand-new with a fresh style of play.
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.