Starfield: How does romance work in the game?

Character romance is always present in RPG games. Whether it’s romance with your crew in Mass Effect or your companions in Baldur’s Gate 3, romance is always available in RPGs. With the launch of Besthesda’s sci-fi RPG Starfield, many gamers are wondering whether romance with companions is possible in this game. Their questions are genuine. This is a Bethesda game, after all, and its past titles have had romance options. So in this article we will answer whether Starfield supports romance option or not.

Can I romance my friends in Starfield?

Don’t waste any time and dive into the good news. Yes, you can form romantic relationships with your companions in Starfield. The game features multiple companions living in different human colonies on different planets. So bonding through spacepunk and shooting with rival factions is a natural progression for you and your companions.

During Starfield Deep Dive in June 2023, Starfield game director Todd Howard confirmed that you’ll be able to romance your companions in-game. However, don’t forget that Todd Howard said it only applies to companions who join the team during the story. Therefore, I don’t know if you can romance someone outside of your party in-game.

Another thing to remember is the nature of romance in Starfield. Bethesda games aren’t known for pulling off relationships between players and NPCs. Whether it’s Skyrim or Fallout 4, romance always boils down to doing companion quests, showing affection late in the story, and somehow the NPC falls head over heels for you, followed by a black screen. So don’t expect Baldur’s Gate 3 levels of depth in the romance encounters. Check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 Karlach romance guide.

It’s also worth pointing out that since Starfield will be mod-enabled, we can expect some modders to project their inner desires and create romance mods. The same thing happened with Skyrim, so it’s only natural to expect the same thing with Starfield. You all know what I’m saying, right? I don’t think I need to elaborate on this (wink wink).

Friends you can romance in Starfield

Of course, you need someone to have a romance in the game. And in Starfield, you have friends you can rely on. As mentioned by Todd Howard in an episode of the Kinda Funny Games podcast, you can romance four companions in the game. This means those who join you on your galactic journey. The three companions confirmed to be romanceable in Starfield are: The fourth one is still shrouded in mystery.

1. Sarah Morgan

• Likes: Exploration, science, diplomacy, scientific correspondence
• Dislikes: Behind-the-scenes tactics, caution, reckless murder

Sarah Morgan, a colonial war veteran, is the current leader of the Constellation, a faction participating in the expedition. According to the official story, Sarah dedicated her life to exploring the Starfield. In the trailer, Sara is one of the main character’s lovers. Sarah Morgan has strong legal morals due to her past in the United Colonies Navy.

Therefore, she will be upset if she participates in dishonorable acts. If you want to impress her, solve problems diplomatically and take her on explorations of planets and space.

2. Sam Coe

• Likes: People who help others unconditionally, people who respect their daughters, people who support the Free Star Rangers, people who loot parts of dead creatures.
• Dislikes: Taking sides with Jacob during missions, doing dishonorable things such as looting and killing civilians.

A descendant of Free Star Collective founder Solomon Coe, aka Sam Coe, is a former space cowboy skilled with guns and spaceships. According to his account, Sam has a talent for space exploration and has dedicated his life to it. Kor is another companion that the developers specially introduced in the romance section. Former Free Star Ranger Sam Coe likes people who help others without expecting anything. Additionally, Sam explores space with his daughter Cora, so taking care of her makes him happy. Conversely, your relationship with his father, Jacob Coe, is strained, so siding with him during the main mission will make him hate you. Additionally, looting or killing Freestar Rangers or civilians will upset him.

3. Barrett

• What I like: Friendly response
• Dislikes: Dishonest acts such as pickpocketing and ship theft

Barrett was one of the first members of the Constellation to dedicate his life to space exploration. Prior to joining the organization, Barrett worked as a physicist for the United Colonies. He uses his knowledge of science to quench his thirst for exploration and search for answers in the vast universe. Barrett has an easy-going personality and appreciates easy-going, fun-loving companions with similar interests.

Therefore, a light-hearted reply will always please him. What he hates is dishonesty. Therefore, if you want to steal something or pickpocket money, keep him away from you for a while.

4. Andreya

• What I like: Bold, cheeky responses, honest responses
• Dislikes: Stealing from fellow citizens or citizens, harming citizens, demanding credit after work.

Andreya, a member of House Varun whose past life is shrouded in mystery, is another member of the Constellation who takes part in the group’s secret operations . The first time you meet the calm and collected girl is during one of the main story missions. And to help you get a chance to recruit Andreya in Starfield, we’ve created a handy guide for you.

Andreya is a collector. Therefore, she likes it when you answer boldly or sassily. Plus, showing care for your crew and fellow constellation members will earn you good points. Andreya doesn’t mind if you use shrewd tactics like picking locks. If you misbehave and harm the crew or residents or try to steal from them, Andreya will hate it. What’s more, I’m nervous about doing things after work.

How does romance work in Starfield?

As mentioned above, and as mentioned in Sarah Morgan’s Romance Guide, Starfield romances are quite long. Decide who you want to date and take them on an adventure. From here, if you do whatever you want with your partner, a unique conversation will occur at random intervals in the game. Successfully flirting with them will trigger a unique character-specific quest. Once you complete it, you will get the option to romance or get married.

This is in line with what Starfield game director Todd Howard said in an interview with Lex Friedman . The talk begins at 52:06, where Howard explains the system in detail. I do not intend to transcribe the entire lecture verbatim. I encourage you to check out this great interview with Rex. However, in a nutshell, Howard said that while Starfield’s romance isn’t “super complicated,” it is a more complex system compared to previous Bethesda titles.

Companions can fall in love with your character, hate what you did, and then love you again. In previous Bethesda titles, you worked your way to the bottom of the ladder by having your favorite NPC fall in love with your character. This time, it’s going to be a little more intimate and nice. This was acknowledged by Todd Howard in an interview. So, do you have a buddy you’re looking to romance in the Starfield world? Let us know in the comments section below.