What Happened to Earth in *Starfield>?

In Starfield , Earth is a barren, irradiated desert because its magnetosphere collapsed in 2150 , causing the atmosphere to dissipate into space over the next 50 years. By 2203 , the planet was completely uninhabitable and abandoned, leaving behind only dusty ruins of famous landmarks.

The Catastrophic Chain of Events

1. The Grav Drive Discovery (2149)

Dr. Victor Aiza discovered an alien Artifact on Mars, which led to the invention of the Grav Drive —a faster-than-light propulsion system that revolutionized space travel.

2. The Fatal Flaw (2150)

Scientists soon realized the Grav Drive had a catastrophic side effect: its usage was destabilizing Earth's magnetosphere. Instead of halting production, this flaw was covered up to prevent backlash against the technology that had enabled humanity's expansion into space.

3. The Great Exodus (2150–2203)

Once the truth emerged, humanity had roughly 50 years to evacuate:

  • Billions perished during the chaotic evacuation.
  • Survivors fled to Mars, the Moon, and eventually other star systems.
  • The crisis catalyzed the formation of the United Colonies , which managed the mass exodus.

Earth in 2330 (Game Timeline)

By the time the game begins, Earth is:

  • A vast, dry wasteland with no liquid water or breathable air.
  • Home to scattered ruins like the Great Pyramid of Giza , Statue of Liberty , and Big Ben , now half-buried in sand.
  • Visitable by players, but only for brief exploration missions—no permanent settlements exist.

Fun fact: Some citizens in the Settled Systems don't even believe Earth still exists, thinking it's a myth from centuries past.

How to Visit Earth In-Game

You can travel to Earth early in the story:

  1. Head to New Atlantis on Jemison (Alpha Centauri system).
  2. Visit the United Colonies Astronautical Museum to get the Earth Landmark survey mission.
  1. Plot a course to the Sol system and land at any of the marked ruins.

Expect harsh conditions: no resources, extreme radiation, and eerie silence—just a haunting reminder of humanity's cradle.

TL;DR: Earth died because humanity's breakthrough FTL technology (the Grav Drive) accidentally destroyed its magnetic shield. The resulting atmospheric loss turned our home into a dead desert world by 2203, over a century before the game's events.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.