Today, July 20, marks the 54th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and the first human landing on the Moon. We’re able to make this giant leap thanks to a lot of technology, science, and innovation – and I think it’s perfect that Starfield pays homage to one of those innovations, one of the oldest in spaceflight, with its Collector’s Edition.
When Apollo 11 entered orbit, there were three human astronauts on board. But besides the names of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, there was one other name that went down in history: the Omega Speedmaster.
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Since then, the Speedmaster watch (Speedy for short) has become absolutely synonymous with moon landing and space travel. As the Apollo program was developing, NASA made a key decision: Astronauts should be equipped with personal timers to keep the mission on track, even if any timing mechanisms built into the modules themselves failed. So, people began to look for a watch suitable for space.
They don’t just need any old watch, though. Whatever is chosen needs to be ultra-precise and resistant to the extreme changes in temperature, humidity and gravity encountered on the mission. NASA invited brands to pitch, and some of them did.
A brand has inexplicably introduced a pocket watch that inevitably levitates, annoyingly, once gravity subsides. Products from other brands, including Rolex, have failed NASA’s torture tests. Originally designed as a racing and sports chronograph, the Omega Speedmaster passed all these tests.
NASA wanted Omega to make some modifications, but in the end, a modified version of this watch made it to space. And the moon. Neil Armstrong left his Speedmaster inside the module as a backup after the module’s electronic timer failed; proving the necessity and usefulness of using an offline analog timer for the mission. Plus, on the face of it, knowing the time in Texas isn’t exactly key. However, self-proclaimed “hand expresser” Buzz Aldrin wore it on a face, making his Speedy the first watch to be worn on another celestial body.
Speedmaster watches continued to be used for many years after the end of the Apollo 11 mission. When Apollo 13 faced the danger of being trapped in space, a crew member’s Speedmaster was used to time the crucial burn to adjust the spacecraft’s trajectory to ensure their return to Earth (as Hollywood would later dramatize). Most recently, the Speedmaster broke a new space record in 2012, spending nearly 900 consecutive days in space on the wrist of Russian Gennady Padalka aboard the International Space Station.
This association has always existed. I personally bought a Speedmaster due to my nerdy interest in sci-fi and spaceflight. “FLIGHT-QUALIFIED BY NASA FOR ALL MANNED SPACE MISSIONS – THE FIRST WATCH WEARED ON THE MOON” is proudly engraved on the back of my particular model. Another guy I know who also knows this history is Todd Howard. The Bethesda game studio head and creative director has worn the Speedmaster at several Starfield promotions, including a release date reveal.
All of this is why the choice to include a watch in the Starfield Collector’s Edition is such a perfect choice. And, for my money, it’s far more impactful and authentic than statues, helmets, or even Fallout 4 Pip-Boy replicas. Starfield Watch is not only present in the game, but is intrinsically connected to a significant part of the history of space travel. Howard is clearly very familiar with this.
Of course, a cheap smartwatch that looks rather low-res isn’t a real competitor to a Swiss chronograph — but let’s be honest, it’s a video game collector’s edition; you’ll never buy a piece for everyday wear. Regardless, it’s a great idea. Usually, these collector’s editions are just relatively useless; you stick things on a shelf or in the attic to collect dust. It’s something you can use – and something based on real history, like the lore of the Starfield universe.
Hopefully it avoids some of the quality traps that the old Bethesda CE fell into – because if it does, this might be one of the neatest collector’s edition items I’ve seen.
Pre-order Starfield now or get ready with a discounted Game Pass code
Starfield will launch exclusively for Xbox Series X/S and PC (Windows) on September 6, 2023. Pre-order Bethesda’s upcoming action RPG via the link below and get ready for a new galactic adventure.
Players who pre-ordered the Premium Edition will have early access to Starfield starting September 1st. Five days until Game Pass goes live!PC players looking to upgrade their PC can also Get a free Starfield when you buy select AMD Ryzen processors, AMD Radeon graphics, or a gaming system that includes both processors.
Alternatively, you can also play Starfield through Game Pass on day one.Our store at iGamesNews currently offers 5% off Game Pass codes and Xbox credits – Just redeem the code”iGamesNewsShow” at checkout. The code is valid until July 31, so if you’re shopping for Starfield at the Xbox Store, save money by buying a Game Pass membership or discounted Xbox credits today.
