I think they should at least give console players the choice between 4k 30 fps or 1080p 60 fps
Let's be realistic here, 4k 60fps for a game of this size in this engine will require a BEEFY machine, nothing a current gen console can offer.
The game is probably CPU bound not GPU bound, based on past bethesda games. If that is the case, decreasing the resolution will not necessarily increase the frame rate a proportional amount.
Not a deal breaker for this kind of game but a 60fps performance mode on series x at 1080p would’ve been a nice option.
Playing TOTK right now on switch and it really proves how great games can overcome technical limitation. A masterpiece at 30fps is still a masterpiece. Here’s hoping Starfield can deliver as a great game first and foremost.
If the bottleneck is something like AI or physics calculations on the CPU then lowering the rendering resolution won't help achieve a higher framerate unfortunately.
I suspect most games shipping this gen without 60 FPS modes are CPU bound.
I think that's just the display resolution. I expect this game will use dynamic render resolution like most games these days. The render resolution will probably not hit 4K often (if at all).