In Starfield, there are five main groups that you can be a part of while playing the game. When you join these groups, you’ll unlock new tasks, stories, and prizes as a way to show your loyalty. The groups include the Constellation explorers, the United Colonies forces, the Freestar Collective with their Rangers, the piratical Crimson Fleet, and the business-oriented Ryujin Industries. Some of these groups will be a part of the main storyline, while you might discover or purposely join others.
Aside from these five, there are also smaller groups, companies, and beliefs, but they don’t have as much impact on gameplay as the main five. Together, these groups are the primary means through which you’ll learn about the Starfield universe, earn rewards, and make progress as you journey through space. So, if you’re excited about becoming a member of these space clubs, here’s all the information we have about the factions in Starfield.
All Starfield Factions
These are the main Starfield factions you can join:
- Constellation – Space exploration club and the game’s main faction for story purposes.
- Crimson Fleet – Space pirates.
- Freestar Collective – Group of separatist systems out in the frontier.
- Ryujin Industries – Large, tech-based megacorporation headquartered in the city of Neon.
- United Colonies – Powerful, militarized, and bureaucratic republic of settled planets with its own voluntary force known as the Vanguard.
Each faction has its own set of tasks and rewards. You can see faction-related tasks in the Factions section of the Missions menu. It’s possible to join all of them, but keep in mind that your loyalty might be tested in certain situations.
There are also smaller groups you can’t officially join, but you’ll definitely interact with them while playing. Additionally, during character creation, you can pick from three religions: ‘Raised Enlightened’, ‘Raised Universal’, or ‘Serpent’s Embrace’, each offering unique advantages when you become a part of the corresponding Starfield religion.
Starfield Constellation Faction
The Crimson Fleet is a large group of space pirates that roam the starfield. They are one of the main opposing forces in the game, along with Spacers and Ecliptic. However, the Crimson Fleet is the only one you can actually become a member of. Initially founded by Jasper Kryx, it’s now led by the formidable pirate named Delgado.
How to join the Crimson Fleet: You can become a member of the Fleet by either being caught smuggling or by joining the UC Vanguard in Jemison. Both paths will lead you to work undercover for UC SysDef as a pirate.
Starfield Freestar Collective Faction
The Freestar Collective in Starfield is a community on the outskirts that once fought for independence from the larger United Colonies. They are safeguarded by the Freestar Rangers, who focus on keeping law and order in the wilder regions.
How to join the Freestar Collective and Rangers: To join, travel to Akila City in the Cheyenne system. Eventually, a Ranger will approach you for assistance. Complete their mission, and you’ll become a part of the Freestar Rangers. While choosing the Freestar Collective Settler trait during character creation won’t automatically make you a Ranger, it’ll definitely aid you in Ranger-related matters.
Starfield Ryujin Industries Faction
Ryujin Industries is a really big company that works in many different places, but its main center is in Neon city. If you’re interested in experiencing the gritty, cyberpunk-like world beneath the surface of Starfield, this faction suits you. Many of their tasks involve sneaking around and doing secret things for the company.
How to join Ryujin Industries: Explore the big cities in Starfield, and you might hear an announcement from a red Ryujin Industries kiosk about job openings. Just hearing this gets you started with missions called “Back to the Grind.” These missions are about applying for a job at the big company. I got this quest while walking around the Commercial District of New Atlantis. Use the kiosk to fill in the job application and qualify for an interview at Ryujin Tower in Neon.
Starfield United Colonies Faction
The United Colonies is a really powerful political and military group centered mainly in the biggest city, New Atlantis, on the planet Jemison. To show you how important they are, New Atlantis isn’t just the biggest city in Starfield, but it’s also the biggest city that Bethesda, the game makers, have ever created. The United Colonies and the Freestar Collective have a kind of uneasy peace now after a big fight called the Colony War, which happened about 20 years before the game starts.
How to join the United Colonies: To join the United Colonies, you need to join their UC Vanguard group. You can do this pretty early in the game by talking to the Vanguard person in the MAST building in New Atlantis. But if you end up getting arrested by the United Colonies, there’s another way to join. Just picking the trait that says you’re from the United Colonies doesn’t automatically make you a member, so the UC Vanguard is your main way in.
Other Starfield Factions
There are a bunch of smaller groups and factions in Starfield too. Some of these you can join just by picking certain traits, but others might have little missions and stuff for you to do. Here’s a list of all the ones we know about:
- Argos Extractors: A mining company that the player starts the game working for.
- Ecliptic Mercenaries: A mercenary organisation that pops up in space and in abandoned facilities from the Colony War.
- Enlightened: Religious organisation opposed to Sanctum Universum.
- House Va’ruun: A religious order that worships the Great Serpent and regularly uses grav drives to travel through space. Their ranks consist of fanatical zealots who are pretty dangerous. You can join this faction by choosing the Serpent’s Embrace trait in character creation.
- Sanctum Universum: Religious organisation opposed to the Enlightened.
- Spacers: Spacefaring raiders, separate from the Crimson Fleet, that appear in space and in abandoned facilities from the Colony War.
In the expansive universe of Starfield, players have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a variety of factions that shape the game’s narrative and gameplay. From space exploration with the Constellation to becoming a space pirate with the Crimson Fleet, or choosing to align with the tech-driven Ryujin Industries or the powerful United Colonies, each faction offers unique stories, tasks, and rewards. These factions, along with smaller groups and religious orders, collectively paint a vivid picture of the intricate and dynamic universe that players can explore, making Starfield an exciting and immersive gaming experience.