The Tragic Reason Why Dogs Aren't In Starfield

Bethesda didn't forget to include dogs in Starfield, they're just all dead. Bethesda is one of the most renowned video game developers out there. They're responsible for creating some of the most immersive and detailed worlds in the RPG genre. The Fallout universe is an incredibly expansive nuclear wasteland set in a retrofuture version of America. The Elder Scrolls is one of the most immersive high fantasy universes in gaming. Now Starfield gives us one of the biggest, most fleshed out sci-fi universes since Mass Effect. It's really quite special, but some fans are trying to wrap their heads around the lore of the universe. Given it's set in the future and deals with the remnants of humanity, many are piecing together what happened on Earth and what remains of that planet.

Sadly, although humans made it out, dogs did not. There is a piece of food players can acquire called "Chocolate Labs", themed after the dog breed, similar to something like Teddy Grahams. Sadly, the description of the item notes that Labradors have gone extinct. While it doesn't say all dog breeds are extinct, given no one has seen a single dog in Starfield, it may be time to start mourning the loss of these beloved animals. It may not even just be dogs either as you won't find many (if any) Earth animals in Starfield. Every other non-human creature is some kind of alien monster. Perhaps there's a chance there are some dogs, cats, or other beloved animals out there in the stars, maybe on an Noah's Ark-like space ship, but don't hold your breath. This is a bit shocking as concept art for the game suggested there were pets in the Starfield universe.

Though they are featured in Starfield’s concept art, pets do not appear to be present in the full game. Furthermore, an item description indicates that Labrador Retrievers — and possibly all dogs — have gone extinct. pic.twitter.com/RnYArouoeA

— Can You Pet the Dog? (@CanYouPetTheDog) September 2, 2023

Whether or not we will ever see animals in a future Starfield update, DLC, or even sequel is up in the air. It seems like Bethesda is going to be moving on to The Elder Scrolls 6 quite quickly. After that, Bethesda also plans to make Fallout 5. We have no idea when a Starfield sequel could happen, but it may be well over a decade from now, so savor it.

The Elder Scrolls 6 Release Date

As of right now, there is no firm release date on The Elder Scrolls 6. The game just entered full production as developers have moved off of Starfield to what comes next. Xbox boss Phil Spencer previously suggested the game could be as far off as 2028 or beyond. Either way, Bethesda's next game won't come as quickly as they used to.

Starfield Review

ComicBook.com had a lot of praise to offer Starfield in its 4 out of 5 review, but noted it still has some flaws: "My opinion of Starfield is overall high despite what the many criticisms outlined here might suggest. It's a Bethesda RPG, and even Bethesda's middling options blow competitors out of the water when it comes to choice and freedom, so Starfield was always going to be a success. Whether it's enough of a success to uplift Xbox and make someone buy a new console is another discussion, but Starfield itself is perfectly competent and – dare I say it – fun, and even the most frustrating moments were unable to deter me from wanting more."