‘Starfield’ Gets Anime-Style Cinematic That Details House Va’ruun’s History From Upcoming DLC Expansion

What you need to know

On September 30, 2024, Microsoft and Bethesda will release the first DLC expansion for Starfield, available exclusively on Xbox and Windows.
The expansion, titled Shattered Space, takes place on the planet Va’ruun’kai and focuses on the sectarian society of House Va’ruun.
The add-on has a horror atmosphere and shows failed gravity experiments that literally destroyed the fabric of space.
Bethesda released an anime-style trailer today that details the trials of House Va’ruun, who are in financial trouble when the player enters the picture.

On September 30, 2024, Starfield will receive its first major story DLC titled Shattered Space, available exclusively on Xbox Series X|S consoles and Windows gaming PCs.

Starfield was one of Microsoft’s biggest platform exclusives of the modern era. The game is a massive sci-fi experience set in a massive reconstruction of our galaxy. With a mix of handcrafted planetary experiences and more procedurally generated hollow celestial bodies, the game has a really expansive amount of gameplay that rewards exploration and experimentation. It can be a bit slow, though, which has given it a somewhat polarizing critical reception among both players and the press.

To address some of that polarization, developer Bethesda, known for Fallout 3 and the Elder Scrolls, has been hard at work adding new features to the game. Starfield, for example, got the Rev-8 planet-exploring vehicle, as well as improved performance modes and options. And now we’re getting a bigger DLC drop, too.

Shattered Space is a full-fledged expansion for Starfield, adding a new story mission set on the planet Va’ruun’kai. The society, run by a mysterious cult-like organization known as House Va’ruun, worships a so-called Great Serpent whose origins remain somewhat shrouded in mystery. To shed some light on the situation, Bethesda has just released a new anime-style Anthology film, offering a glimpse into the story setting.

Starfield: The Settled Systems – All Must Serve – YouTube

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Shattered Space is a more handcrafted experience, as Bethesda outlined in a previous Starfield deep-dive video . The expansion takes place on a single planet, though players can leave once the DLC begins, as they can in all of the main campaign missions. When players arrive, they realize something has gone terribly wrong for House Va’ruun. A gravity experiment has destroyed half of the capital, and strange dimensional anomalies (and creatures) are spreading throughout the region. Citizens are flocking to refugee camps, and chaos reigns supreme.

The previous deep dive also showed that the game has a more horror feel this time around, harking back to films like Event Horizon and even Alien. Starfield has been the strongest in the format for me, so that’s encouraging. House Va’ruun is one of the most enigmatic factions in the game, so getting a story expansion focused solely on them is pretty intriguing.

Starfield: Shattered Space will premiere on September 30, 2024.

Starfield: Shattered Space is a game with a horror atmosphere. (Image source: Xbox Game Studios)

Starfield is a somewhat controversial game (unfairly in my opinion), hated by some media and commentators while celebrated and loved by others. In my review of Starfield I praised its immersive sci-fi depth while also admitting that the combat experience and RPG choices didn’t quite live up to Bethesda’s previous titles.

I’ve been waiting a long time to return to Starfield, especially with the Shattered Space expansion. The game has seen a ton of improvements and improvements since its launch, and the new story makes it the perfect time to go back and take a fresh look at everything.

House Va’ruun has long been one of the most mysterious factions in Starfield, with very few side quests dedicated to them despite their important role in the galactic political landscape.