Starfield New Game+ mode, explained

You've got a tough choice to make.

A Starfield character looks across a barren landscape with mountains.
Image via Bethesda

Starfield is one of Bethesda’s most intricate and expansion titles yet and while there is so much content to see, the studio has given players multiple ways to experience it. These are to see it all during your first playthrough or in New Game Plus.

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Most of us should be familiar with this concept. However, for those who aren’t New Game Plus is the idea that you start the game over again bringing with you some of the character development you made during your first playthrough.

Starfield offers players the chance to start over as a prerequisite to completing its final mission. So that means if you want to see the ending you’ll need to accept the terms of New Game Plus. But what exactly does that mean?

Be warned, there are spoilers below in this article.

What is New Game+ in Starfield?

Starfield ship in a warp jump
The wonders of New Game Plus. Image via Bethesda

New Game Plus in Starfield will send your character into a new universe keeping many of the key attributes that you either started with or learned during your first playthrough, but you will lose all of your material items.

This provides the opportunity to experience all of Starfield’s main story missions, faction quests, relationships, and more from scratch—though you may encounter some notable differences in Constellation from the universe you left behind.

New Game Plus in Starfield is repeatable and can be done as many times as you wish, which is required if you want to maximize the Space Powers you unlock along the way, and each universe has the chance of featuring differences with Constellation.

Some of the known instances include everyone in Constellation being killed by The Hunter, Andreja still being with House Va’Ruun and fighting you, a stand-off with a grown-up version of Cora Coe, and a universe where Sarah Morgan is a plant.

What do I keep in Starfield’s New Game+ Mode?

  • Character level
  • Learned Skills
  • Powers

What will I lose in Starfield’s New Game+ Mode?

  • Any Outpost builds
  • Collected Ships
  • Inventory Items (Weapons, Resources, etc.)
  • Credits
  • Cargo
  • Relationships with characters / Quest progress
  • Planet Exploration

Starfield New Game+ Mode rewards

The Starborn Guardian II ship in Starfield, showing the stats and ship systems equipped.
Your reward for New Game Plus. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Upon entering New Game Plus for the first time, you will be given the Starborn Guardian Ship—which will be upgraded each time you enter New Game Plus again.

You’ll also receive the Starborn Spacesuit, which has the handy trait of being a spacesuit, a pack, and a helmet all in one, giving you more room to carry loot and weapons.

In New Game Plus, you’ll also be able to earn new and upgraded powers. There are 24 Space Powers in total, which can level up 10 times.

How to get New Game+ in Starfield

In the final mission of Starfield, “One Giant Leap,” you will make a crucial decision: Hold off on “ending” the game and continue exploring, or “complete” the story and enter New Game Plus. If you opt for the former, you can return at any point.

Once in New Game Plus, you can either replay the main story in its entirety or play through them again. If you opt to skip, you can visit Vlad on The Eye to find out where the six Artifacts you need are—which you need to gather every time you want to start a New Game Plus.

Be warned, entering New Game Plus is not reversible unless you reload an old save.

Should I enter Starfield New Game+?

Pilot in Starfield staring at a distant planet with snowy terrain beneath them.
Image via Bethesda Game Studios

One thing to keep in mind when making your decision to enter New Game Plus or not is if you do, you won’t be forced to complete the game’s story missions again.

Instead, you can venture around completing the other available tasks and exploring the universe. Given this is a fresh start, you’ll need to build up relationships with the characters you once knew, but if you weren’t happy with the choices made in your first run, this could be a bonus.

Without jumping into spoiler territory, you will be given a ship and a spacesuit for your decision to accept the reset. Both are commendable pieces of gear but very different from what you’ve probably been rocking through your first playthrough.

Along with the new dialogue in New Game Plus, there are more artifacts to collect for those who may have found them all in the first playthrough. Similarly, you’ll have the chance to upgrade your powers to levels not attainable in just one playthrough.

At the end of the day it’s up to you, the player, to decide if you’re ready to start over. Otherwise, it’s completely acceptable to continue exploring the starfields in playthrough one before taking the jump.

Author
Image of Ryan Galloway
Ryan Galloway
Ryan is a Senior Staff Writer for Dot Esports who has been working at GAMURS since 2020. He covers a wide variety of titles from across the gaming space, with a focus on Pokémon. He boasts a degree in Journalism from Murdoch University. Email: ryan@dotesports.com
Author
Image of Josh Challies
Josh Challies
Staff Writer. Professional writer since 2014. Pokemon, Marvel, Star Wars and overall geek. Previously wrote for Yahoo Sport, Stats Perform and online news publications.