Can you go to jail in Starfield?

Going to jail has been a recurring gameplay feature in many of Bethesda’s previous RPGs – but can you go to jail in Starfield?

Since we can explore the stars however we like in Starfield, we can imagine causing mischief as a bounty hunter or a scoundrel like Star Wars’ Han Solo. However, will the game follow a similar formula to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or Fallout 3? Here’s what we know about going to jail in Starfield.

Is it possible to go to jail in Starfield?

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Screenshot via Bethesda Softworks YouTube channel

Yes, you can go to jail in Starfield.

The universe of Starfield seems limitless, but with that freedom comes responsibility. If you cause any mischief on the planets of the game, you may be arrested for your crimes. 

“Yes, you can elect to go to jail or pay a fine when you’re arrested (or even resist arrest and try to escape),” said lead quest designer Will Shen in a Discord Q&A (via Game8).

Each of the Settled Systems within Starfield is similar to how The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim works rather than Fallout 4. “There’s civilization, there’s government, and there are laws,” said lead designer Emil Pagliarulo. “And in a couple of cases, we actually explore the themes of crime and punishment in our futuristic universe.”

What else can happen to you in Starfield?

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Image via Bethesda

There are many, many characters you’ll meet in the game. Starfield director Todd Howard said that there are over 150,000 lines of dialogue amongst its over 1,000 planets in 2021. That number changed to 250,000 a year later in October 2022 (via GamePressure). To put that into perspective, Skyrim only has 60,000 and Fallout 4 has 110,000. This is Bethesda’s biggest game by a country mile.

During your adventure, there are over 20 companions to find who’ll help you on your journey. Like Skyrim, you’ll also have to decide which faction to side with. “As for whether or not the United Colonies will be violently angry with you if you ultimately take the Crimson Fleet’s side, yeah, they ain’t happy,” said Pagliarulo in the same Q&A.

For more Starfield guides, keep reading GGRecon.