According to a recent rumor, Doom developer id Software has been assisting Bethesda Game Studios with Starfield's combat for a few months now. The combat has supposedly improved dramatically as a result, with it being better than the last time fans saw it, but the upcoming Starfield Direct will likely be the final determiner of that.
As with all rumors, this should be taken with a grain of salt and ultimately judged by its source, which is as unreliable as they come. This rumor has made the rounds online, including on social media like Reddit and Twitter, but it originates from 4chan. That's a big strike against it and a reason to doubt every word of it, but at the same time, the rumor is not a stretch or a reach. In fact, it sounds like it would be good news for Starfield.
The rumormonger claims that id Software joined the project back in August, with a focus on improving Starfield's combat, and it is in a "vastly better state than it was during the Xbox Showcase last year." It should be noted that it's not unusual for a company the size of Bethesda Softworks to see collaboration among its studios, and in fact, id Software is often a great source of support. For example, id Software assisted BGS on Fallout 4, with many claiming that's why its gunplay had more punch to it than FO3. So, ultimately, while the source is questionable, it wouldn't be a surprise if it were true and it would ultimately be a good thing for Starfield.
Having worked on major shooters like Wolfenstein, Doom, Quake, and Rage, there's arguably not a better studio under the Bethesda umbrella to assist with Starfield's gunplay. Many reactions to this rumor so far trended positively, and that's good for Bethesda's upcoming new IP. The game and BGS at large are no doubt under a lot of pressure, as the recent negative reviews of Redfall led many to question whether Starfield would be all that it's been made out to be.
Combined with the pressure of its Xbox Game Pass inclusion, the acquisition by Microsoft, and just the fact that it's a new IP from Skyrim's studio, there are a lot of eyes on Starfield. But the upcoming Direct will be its proving ground heading into its launch later this year, so fans should remain patient as its news cycle begins to spin up.
Starfield launches September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.