Starfield is experiencing a resurgence this week due to several factors. Bethesda’s sci-fi RPG has finally launched on PlayStation 5, while also introducing the Terran Armada story expansion for $9.99 (which is included in the current Premium Edition on PS5 and the Premium Upgrade on all platforms). Additionally, the new Free Lanes update transforms the game significantly.
The official patch notes for the Free Lanes update detail numerous fixes, quality-of-life enhancements, and necessary adjustments. This update is just the latest in a series of updates and DLCs that have improved Starfield since its release in 2023. While many features are generating excitement, one particular change in Free Lanes has fans buzzing (and a bit skeptical) on Reddit.
Starfield Has Added In Way More POIs
The focus here is on the variety of POIs in Starfield. POIs, or points of interest, were a hot topic when the RPG launched in 2023, as many players felt there simply weren’t enough compared to other Bethesda games like Skyrim, which had a much larger selection.
Now, the Free Lanes update has introduced even more POIs: “There are also tons of new space POIs to discover as you travel in Cruise Mode. You’ll see them dynamically pop up, and you can change your destination on the fly to automatically head to one of these POIs, or you can just keep on moving toward your original destination,” according to the patch notes.
The Free Lanes update isn’t the first instance of adding more POIs to the game. The Shattered Space DLC also expanded the number of POIs when it was released in 2024. However, this appears to be the largest addition of POIs to date (and new space POIs are always welcome). Still, fans remain somewhat unconvinced.
Not Everyone Is Convinced By The New Update
The main concern revolves around duplicates regarding POIs. Many users on Reddit express skepticism that these new POIs will quickly accumulate duplicates. Several shared their grievances about the game and were not convinced that the Free Lane update would completely resolve this issue.
However, some users remain optimistic about the changes: “Someone has already gone searching for repeating POIs and said that in three hours of deliberate searching, they found no repeats,” noted one user.
“Hopefully this is accurate,” reads one response. “I plan to start over today, and the last time I played, the first two bases I went to were exactly the same, which really killed the immersion.”
The Free Lanes update has introduced many necessary improvements, and additional POIs are certainly among the most needed features. It is understandable why many <em>Starfield</em> fans are excited yet cautious about this update, but it is promising that just a few days after its release, repeated POIs have not been a major issue.
