In Starfield, players will quickly learn that Earth, our home planet, is barren, abandoned, and in short, a complete wasteland. There are a few landmarks left, but for the most part, it’s a sandy apocalypse, totally devoid of water, completely forgotten, and left to rot in the vast expanse of space. So, what happened to Earth in Starfield and how did it get the way that it is? In this guide, we’ll explore that question – but be warned, there are late-game spoilers in this explanation.

Sadly, there’s no way we can really articulate what happened to Earth in Starfield without spoiling a few late-game aspects. It’s not the most complicated explanation, but there are a few things that contribute to the answer that are only made clear once you’ve advanced through the story somewhat.

If you’re playing slowly or are yet to pick up Starfield, be aware – this guide will spoil things for you.

Why is Earth Abandoned in Starfield?

Image Credit: Bethesda Game Studios

Later in Starfield, when the player is hunting for treasured ‘Artifacts’ with Constellation, their journey will take them to Earth, the almost forgotten home of the human race. During Starfield, players ultimately discover that humans have travelled far and wide across the universe thanks to the invention of the ‘Grav Drive’, a revolutionary piece of technology that allows them to leap vast distances through space in moments.

It’s later explained that the knowledge needed to invent and ultimately power the Grav Drive was obtained by studying one of these Artifacts. However, given that a Grav Drive essentially bends gravity and warps spacetime, the use of earlier prototypes (that were less efficient or elegant) seriously damaged Earth’s atmosphere. Eventually, as it is said in the game, the atmosphere ‘started sputtering out into space’, and it was realised that humans had just fifty years left to evacuate Earth – or perish.

It’s a shocking realisation for the player, and it’s a perfect explanation of what happened to Earth in Starfield.

Related: How Long is Starfield?

Is Anything Left on Earth in Starfield?

Earth isn’t completely empty in Starfield, but there isn’t much left. There are eight landmarks scattered around the world, and it doesn’t take all that much effort to find them. Mostly, you can use the game’s map screen to pinpoint your landing site near where you think one of these landmarks will be, and you’ll likely hit it the first time. It’s as though Bethesda Game Studios wanted you to find these things, to serve as a reminder of what might happen if we’re not more careful with our planet.

Some of these landmarks include the top of the Shard in London, the Empire State Building in New York, and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It’s a nod to Starfield’s universe ultimately being the same as our own, despite there being many technological differences. Aside from that, there are craters on Earth from meteor impacts, some old NASA equipment, and a few caves, but nothing else of value.

That’s what happened to Earth in Starfield – it’s a sad story, but it’s one that could be inevitably linked to our own future hundreds of years down the line.

Related: What is Starfield About?

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