A Rundown of the Va’Ruun

House Va’Ruun, and their home world of Va’Ruun’kai, are no strangers to seclusion – the location of the planet is so secret that even agents of the collective, sent out to gather intel and supplies – are not trusted with its jump coordinates/instructions on how to get there. Throughout Starfield’s story, we hear tales of the Va’Ruun, meet (and destroy) their Zealots, even befriend Andreja, a member of the – but we never got a glimpse at their homeworld until now.

House Va’Ruun’s mysterious, cult-like presence in Starfield makes them the ideal faction to explore in a self-contained experience. Shattered Space will tell the story of what has happened to Va’ruun’kai, and how the planet has survived and adapted outside of the Settled Systems.

Unfortunately, a quest for knowledge gone too far has brought peril to the people of Va’Ruun’kai, leading to a significant portion of Dazra, the capital of the planet, being consumed inside a vortex. Buildings are destroyed, supplies are scarce, and people are missing – most notably, Anaasko Va’ruun, leader of the Va’ruun people and Speaker for the Great Serpent, a god-like figure that the Va’ruun people serve.

In Anaasko’s absence, the lesser houses of Va’ruun are grappling for power amongst themselves, and as you arrive, you’ll find yourself embroiled in a grapple for control as the wider planet comprehends with this inexplicable event. Shattered Space blends the wanderlust of space exploration with the horror of the intergalactic unknown, as you work to piece together both the mysteries of the people, the Vortex, and ultimately decide the fate of House Va’ruun.

How to Begin Shattered Space

It doesn’t take much work to open up the new expansion – simply complete the main quest’s introductory mission, One Small Step. The next time you grav-jump into an orbit not being used for a mission or encounter you’ll receive a distress call from The Oracle, a mysterious star station – and the first mission from the expansion.

While it opens early, you may want to rack up some experience first, however – Bethesda recommends that you’re around level 35 before embarking on the mission (but it’s not locked off for lower-level players looking for a challenge).

As we’ve discussed before, your mission on The Oracle introduces many of the mysteries of the expansion – as well as its more horror-inflected tone – and leads you to Va’Ruun’kai.

Exploring Va’Ruun’kai

The Va’Ruun home world is notably unlike anything you’ve seen in Starfield before – as its entire history exists in a bubble away from the rest of the Settled Systems and humanity as a whole. As such, it comes with its own unique design, architecture and structures that truly feel alien compared to the sleek shapes of New Atlantis or the western hideaways of Akila. On Va’Ruun’kai, you’ll soar through gravitational anomalies, encounter strange new creatures, and face entirety new horrors from beyond the Vortex as the reality of your world and theirs intertwine.

There are over 50 new locations to discover on Va’Ruun’kai, so you’ll be sure to run into something exciting and/or terrifying during a quest, or simply exploring on your own. Shattered Space will also never send you off-planet, so while you’re free to leave at any time throughout, the storyline will only take place on Va’Ruun’kai.

Starfield Updates Since Launch

Starfield has continued to evolve significantly in the year since its release, bringing quality-of-life updates, new player systems and more.

A major update brought significant improvements to surface maps, making it easier for players to navigate cities and settlements, as well as see where they are and what’s around them. Icons to show the locations of vendors have also been added, which also allow players to fast travel straight to them – a massive time-saver for the explorers among us that are constantly overburdened by loot.

If you’re looking to add a personal touch to your travels, Starfield now allows deeper customization options for your ship’s interior, including the ability to design a room from scratch, so you can bring your own unique flair wherever you roam.

Additionally, the recently-added REV-8 Planet Rover now allows for speedy traversal across the surface of planets, making exploration on those unfamiliar worlds a breeze, whether you’re surveying wildlife, or trying to outrun it. It’s a free update – all you’ll need is a few credits to pick one up from any Ship Services Technician located in Starfield’s major landing zones, such as New Atlantis, Akila or Neon.

New display settings were also added,  letting you choose between 30, 40, 60 or an Uncapped frame rate on VRR displays. If you do not have a VRR display running 120hz, you will still be able to select from 30 or 60.

The world of Starfield is constantly evolving, so whether you’re taking flight for the first time or returning for a new adventure in Shattered Space, there’s plenty of new things to discover. And even outside of Bethesda Game Studios’ own additions, Creations allow the community to keep adding to this wide-open galaxy. Creations allow players to purchase community-created missions, gear, skins, weapons, and more – and Bethesda handpicks monthly featured Creations that are available for free.

Shattered Space arrives for Starfield today, September 30, and is available for purchase on Xbox Series X|S and PC. Players that own Starfield Premium Edition will gain access to the expansion for free.