Gamers freak out over Boundary Reached leak in Starfield

A recent leak has revealed a concerning “Boundary Reached” message in Bethesda’s upcoming space RPG Starfield.

Starfield has fallen victim to a lot of leaks, one of which even led to an arrest. One recent gameplay leak revealed something about the game that had fans worried about the open-world space adventure.

In the leaked footage, a player ran in one direction for almost 10 minutes until they were hit with a “Boundary Reached” message that read they must explore “another region” or even “return to your ship.” It then gave the player the option to fast travel or open the planet map. Meanwhile, there was an invisible wall that wouldn’t allow them to run forward.

What is the Boundary Reached message in Starfield?

Starfield’s head of publishing recently responded to a fan who asked if it was possible to explore an “entire planet.” To this inquiry, Pete Hines stated that you’d be able to traverse the entire planet, writing: “Walk on, brave explorer.”

Of course, the leaked “Boundary Reached” message contradicts this, leaving players concerned.

Yup, if you want.

Walk on, brave explorer.

— Pete Hines (@DCDeacon) August 22, 2023

Is Starfield as open-world as previously implied? Can you actually explore entire planets or are there boundaries?

As more and more gamers started accusing Bethesda of lying, others came forward in the developers’ defense. Streamer Darrius Fears said that the “Boundary Reached” message is not something you’d usually come across and explained that you simply had to maneuver your way around to get to the next spot.

Another reviewer with early access to the game, Windows Central’s Jez Corden, also called the leaked footage and accusations “not accurate.” He said it doesn’t tell the “full story” but was unable to reveal more about his experience playing the game.

He tweeted: “The half truths being spread are done in bad faith sometimes.”

For now, you won’t be able to truly know the extent of Starfield’s open-world exploration until you actually land on a planet yourself come September. Before then, maybe some early reviews will clear up the situation but only time will tell.