Starfield main menu controversy explained

Starfield is almost here but the build-up to the game has been overshadowed by a rather bizarre controversy surrounding the game’s main menu.

As one of the most highly-anticipated games of the year, expectations for Starfield are exceptionally high and the countdown for release is on.

Leaks for Starfield, which is in the hands of reviewers ahead of the Sept. 6 release, have dropped information about the game, with one of the leaks showing an image of the game’s main menu.

That has resulted in some drama which, frankly, is a bit weird, but we’ve explained it fully here.

What is the Starfield start screen controversy?

Former Blizzard designer Mark Kern sparked the controversy with an Aug. 20 post on Twitter that showed Starfield’s leaked menu screen, where he suggested the team was “rushed,” “overworked,” or “didn’t care.”

Naturally, that resulted in a fiery response from Pete Hines, who explained the Starfield menu was based on the Bethesda menu design that has been in place for years and criticized the original comments as “highly unprofessional.”

Issues with the Starfield title screen are based on its minimalistic design, which has a few simple options, and the game’s eclipse title screen. For some, this was seen as far too basic of a look.

Others rightly pointed out this is a standard look for Bethesda menus, with both Skyrim and Fallout 4 having similar menus, and questioned whether a start screen was really that important.

Related: Starfield achievements: Full leaked list

Does it really matter?

Not really. How long do you spend on a main menu in a game and, when you do, are you focused on the design, or is it because you’re busy with something else and aren’t ready to dive into the game yet?

Starfield’s menu is simple but effective, and it must be added that, like many others, the leaked screenshot is the only part of the main menu we’ve seen, and it could be that it is dynamic, with several backgrounds.

Even if that isn’t the case, it really isn’t a big deal. Starfield has over 1,000 planets to explore, so I’ll definitely be more focused on what is to find there, rather than what there is to see on the menu screen.