Starfield states in an item description that all Labrador Retrievers have gone extinct, inciting the despair of fans who realised there is no future for their four-legged friends in the game.

Via IGN, the famous Can You Pet the Dog? X account argued that it is possible that all of Earth’s domestic animals like cats and dogs are no more. It pointed out that though a cat appears in the game’s concept art, there are no references to pets in the final version of Starfield.

Though they are featured in Starfield’s concept art, pets do not appear to be present in the full game. Furthermore, an item description indicates that Labrador Retrievers — and possibly all dogs — have gone extinct. pic.twitter.com/RnYArouoeA

— Can You Pet the Dog? (@CanYouPetTheDog) September 2, 2023

Moreover, the “Chocolate Labs” confection, a Centauri Mills in-game food item that is valued at 90 credits, is described to be a tin of “chocolates shaped like an extinct canine called a Labrador Retriever”.

In response, fans have expressed their sadness that there might be no pets in this specific fictional future. One stressed that it was “unrealistic” that the breed had been left behind by humans. “I cannot believe for a second that humanity wouldn’t spend millions of dollars to ensure that dogs could survive and thrive in space,” they explained.

However, in Starfield‘s timeline, it was found that Earth’s magnetosphere was expected to disintegrate over a period of 50 years. Between 2150 and 2203, the planet became completely inhospitable to life. It is therefore plausible that humanity did prioritise supporting their own survival over other animals like cats and dogs.

Another player added that dogs might still exist in Starfield but there are no pure breed dogs any more as these are known to have weaker immune systems than mixed breeds.

However, it is imaginable that a modder will take this matter into their own hands soon and allow players to adopt animals on their adventures in space.

In other gaming news, the Alone In The Dark reboot has been delayed out of October to avoid sharing space with other releases like Alan Wake 2.