Starfield Preload Guide: Start Time, Size, and How to Download

Starfield by Bethesda Game Studios is one of the anticipated upcoming games in 2023. Part of the reason for the hype is the fact that it’s the first major Bethesda RPG title in a long time. And judging by the sheer scale of the game, players are eager to know how large the download size of the game is. Now, with the developer officially announcing the preload details for Starfield, we bring you a complete lowdown in this guide. We have talked about the preload times and download size, along with the steps to download Starfield.

Fortunately, Xbox and Bethesda acknowledge the pains that come with the sheer size of the game. After all, not everyone has a whole day to wait for the game to download, especially if you do not have a fast internet connection. So, let’s get into the details.

Starfield Preload Dates & Time

Firstly, Bethesda has shared the Starfield preload dates for both the Xbox/Windows and the Steam versions. Since this is an Xbox-exclusive title, PlayStation gamers, unfortunately, need to wait to play Starfield. Here are the official preload dates for the respective platforms:

• August 17, 2023 – Xbox console and Windows PCs
• August 30, 2023 – Steam

The preload date for both platforms was shared through the official Bethesda X (formerly Twitter) account, alongside the announcement of the game going gold.

At the time of writing this article, the Starfield preload for Xbox and Windows (purchased or Game Pass) is now live, and you can download the game on your console or PC, respectively. For those curious, the game preload went live at 12:00 AM PST.

Steam users will, unfortunately, have to wait a little longer to download Starfield on their PCs. Since neither Bethesda nor Xbox has shared the official timings, we will have to wait on that information. We expect Starfield to be available to download at midnight in respective time zones. Look for an update here if Steam revises the Starfield listing with a countdown or other details.

Starfield Preload Install Size

Since numerous influencers and press outlets have already received game review codes, many have disclosed the storage space required to preload Starfield. Unfortunately, you will need substantial free space on your SSD to install Starfield.

While the official Steam page mentions that the game requires a whopping 125GB of space to install on a PC, it seems Starfield requires a few more gigs than that. As pointed out by Twitter user HazzadorGamin, and numerous others, the official preload install size of Starfield clocks at:

• Starfield Xbox install size: 126.1 GB
• Starfield PC install size: 139.84 GB

We don’t expect the size to reduce under any circumstances, as preload files are generally the entire game without an executable. What we do expect is the game file size to increase. Since Day 1 patch is a thing (rolled out to squash some final issues) we expect Starfield to receive one too. Past Bethesda titles have never been shy of post-launch bugs, and no matter how polished this game is claimed to be, it is bound to have some issues.

How to Preload Starfield on Windows and Xbox

There are only a few ways to preload Starfield on your respective platforms. While Steam pre-order owners need to wait till August 30 to do so, Xbox and Windows Store versions of the game can be downloaded right away. Here’s how you can do that:

On Windows via Xbox App

• Open the Xbox app on Windows by searching Xbox in the search bar.
• Right on the front page, you will see the Starfield banner. Click on it.

• If you have pre-ordered the game or have an active Xbox Game Pass subscription, the app will show the “Pre-install” button. Click on it, and the app will prompt you to download the game files.

On Xbox Console

• If you are on the Xbox Series X/S console, open the Xbox Store, and search for Starfield. It should show up on the store page.
• If you have pre-ordered the game, you will see the option to pre-install the game by downloading it ahead of launch. Click on the “Pre-install” button to download it on your console.

Preload on Steam

While the game’s preload goes live on Steam only a day before the early access commences (August 30), the process to install Starfield is similar here. Here’s what you need to do:

• If you’ve pre-ordered the title, it should be available in your library. In that case, search for the game in your library.
• Click on the game, and press the “Pre-load Game” button. It will read as “Install” if you don’t preload the title and download it on launch day.