Starfield’s newest free update finally trims a few mod list headaches

Starfield has received its Free Lanes update, and it brings more than just the ability to travel between planets in a star system. Bethesda’s latest patch also folds in a handful of quality-of-life changes that many players had been asking for, including a feature that lets them keep watching their ship touch down every time.

The clearest quality-of-life win is the new Always Show Landing Camera option, which is listed in Bethesda’s Free Lanes patch notes. For players who have wanted a more cinematic landing sequence from the start, that option should make each planet visit feel a little more deliberate.

Bethesda also made outposts less fiddly. The update adds a new way to place objects that sits alongside the existing rotation mode, and it makes it easier to position weapon workbenches. On top of that, loot from Expert and Master locked chests now has a better chance to feel worth the effort.

The patch does not stop at convenience changes. It also fixes mission issues, including Refurbished Goods, where the needed weapons can now be found, and Guilty Parties, which now starts properly if players have already finished Background Checks. Legendary enemies also received new, unnamed modifiers, along with a toggle for activating them, which should make those fights a bit nastier for anyone looking for a tougher run.

That mix of fixes is why the update has landed well with the community. One Reddit user summed up the reaction by saying it means “One less mod in the LO!”, while another called out the Refurbished Goods fix as one less bug mod to keep around.

Starfield Update 1.16.236 (Many QOL features not shown in trailers)
byu/Smart_Plane_2751 inStarfield

If you want a deeper look at how this patch changes the game, we also broke down the bigger additions in our earlier Free Lanes coverage. For now, the important part is simple: Bethesda has pushed a patch that cuts down on some long-running annoyances and gives Starfield players a few more reasons to clear space in their load order.

Tell us what you think about the Free Lanes update in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram.

Starfield

Developed by Bethesda Game Studios

In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.

• Genre: Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
• Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows)
• Modes: Single player
• Release: 2023-09-06
• Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
• Age Rating: CLASS_IND 16 / GRAC 19+ / ESRB M / PEGI 18 / ACB R 18+ / USK 16 / CERO Z
• IGDB Rating: 74.2/100

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