Starfield's design director Will Shen and designer Emil Pagliarulo recently confirmed that not only would we be able to recruit a hearty crew of over 20 named characters, but also if we're looking to get away with smuggling some illegal cargo through populated systems, we'll need a special ship upgrade for it.
In a Discord Q&A that has been transcribed in full over on Reddit, Pagliarulo said: "There are specific items that are considered Contraband, meaning they're pretty much illegal everywhere. And yes, you can hide them using special ship modules you can purchase. So, you know, don't get caught with those harvested organs. [fallout boy wearing sunglasses emoji]
The economy is fixed, but prices of bought and sold good can change based on the Skills you choose."
Speaking on the crew members we can recruit, Shen said: "There are over 20 named characters who can join your crew. Four of them are from Constellation and have the most story and interaction with the player, but all of the named characters have their own backgrounds and can follow you around (and carry your stuff)."
"When we first began Starfield pre-production, we looked back at our previous games, and realized how popular and effective the companions were. So they were a big priority for us, and we really wanted to tie them directly to the main quest," added Pagliarulo. "There are some really big moments with them specifically. I should also mention that our companion voice cast is amazing. We haven't released the list yet, but you can be sure there are a lot of talented actors bringing those characters to life."
Will you be taking the path of a smuggler in Starfield?