Hey there fellow space explorer! If you‘re reading this, you‘ve likely just started your adventure in Starfield only to find that darn New Atlantis ship technician vendor missing. I‘ve been obsessively playing since launch, so let me walk you through some tips I‘ve picked up to get your ship upgrading back on track.
First off, let me validate that you‘re not alone. As an avid gamer and Starfield fanatic, I totally get the frustration of long-awaited new games not always going smoothly out the gate.
Having logged over 50 hours already, I can tell you Starfield is an absolute masterpiece – when it‘s not being buggy. But don‘t let this vendor issue stop your space odyssey before it starts!
In this guide, I‘ll explain why the New Atlantis vendor is so important, potential reasons they‘re not spawning, and most importantly – how to troubleshoot and hopefully get them back so you can upgrade that sweet ride.
Why You Need The New Atlantis Ship Technician Vendor
New Atlantis is the first big hub location you‘ll likely visit after the opening tutorial, so being able to upgrade your ship here is crucial.
This vendor sells much better Hyperdrive modules, more powerful weapons, extra cargo storage, shields, and a bunch of cosmetic parts – all at more affordable rates than other vendors.
Having access to good upgrades this early allows you to:
- Explore farther reaching star systems and planets
- Take on harder space encounters and pirate battles
- Increase profits through trade and hauling more cargo
- Gain an edge in faction conflicts
- Customize your ship‘s looks to your liking
Upgrading strategically is key to progression and opening up Starfield‘s expansivePossibilities. And not having the main upgrade NPC can severely limit you early on.
So getting this vendor back in their spot is pretty vital to ensuring you have the best experience possible. Let‘s look at why they might have gone missing.
Potential Causes of The Vanishing Vendor Bug
From scouring player reports and my own troubleshooting, here are likely reasons for the absent ship vendor:
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Buggy NPC Behavior: Starfield is riddled with glitches right now, and vendors seem especially prone to acting funky. Random wandering, falling through floors, or spawning inside walls can break their routines.
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Quest Progression Issues: Certain quests may need to be completed to trigger the vendor‘s appearance. If you jumped ahead in quests or skipped dialogue, it could disrupt their spawn.
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General Game Bugs: As a massive new release, there are inevitably hiccups in Starfield‘s code causing objects, NPCs, textures, and more to go haywire. The vendor‘s disappearance seems tied to this.
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Multiplayer Mods: Some players have reported issues after installing unofficial multiplayer mods. Mods can definitely cause unintended NPC problems.
The good news is there are some worthwhile fixes floating around the community already for resurrecting our vanished vendor friend.
Top Fixes and Workarounds From Starfield Players
Fear not my stranded star pilgrim! Here are fixes that have worked for myself and other players:
Use Console Commands to Summon the Vendor
On PC, you can pull up the developer console by hitting the tilde (~) key and enter commands to manipulate many game elements.
The console code 0015636E.moveto player will teleport the New Atlantis vendor right to your location.
Simply stand outside the shipyard building in New Atlantis, pop open console, enter that command, and see if he spawns. You may need to re-enter his shop for him to get into position.
Tip: On PC, quick save first with F5 before trying in case anything goes awry.
Reload Earlier Saves to Reset The Vendor
If console commands aren‘t an option, reloading older saves has helped some players reset the vendor‘s spawn status.
Of course, this means losing any progress since your last save. My advice is to make hard saves often by hitting ESC and going to "Save Game" – I try to do this anytime I arrive/leave a new location.
Test reloading saves RIGHT before initially arriving to New Atlantis and see if the vendor shows up. If not, you may have to go back hours which sucks, but better than restarting completely!
Track Down the Vendor Using Quest Markers
One workaround that worked for me was getting a specific ship upgrade quest that provided a quest marker leading out into space with the vendor waiting there!
Check your journal‘s "Space" section for any mentions of acquiring rare Hyperdrive components or ship upgrades. The quest "Final Glimpses" seemed to be one that triggered this.
Use the quest marker and local map to track down the vendor‘s location and interact with him to hopefully get him back in place. Keep the quest active just in case too!
General Troubleshooting and Alternate Upgrades
If all else fails, you can try waiting several in-game days, leaving the system and returning after a while, or verifying game files on PC. I know it‘s tedious but try to exhaust all options before restarting!
There are also other ship upgrade vendors like on Akila City, The Frontier, The Corinthian, Aphyoseo Station, and Starfall who can fill in temporarily. However, their offerings are much more limited and expensive.
And you can submit a ticket to Bethesda support to report the issue while you keep troubleshooting. They may be able to restore your game or provide a workaround.
Now let‘s walk through everything step-by-step so you can get to upgrading your home in the stars!
Step-By-Step Guide to Finding and Fixing the Missing Vendor
Follow these steps to troubleshoot and attempt to restore the New Atlantis ship technician vendor:
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Upon first arriving at New Atlantis, check inside the ship services building for the vendor behind the counter. If he‘s missing, that‘s our culprit.
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Immediately make a new hard save by opening the escape menu and selecting "Save Game." This safeguards your current progress.
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Reload that hard save you just created to see if it resets the vendor. If he‘s still missing, we‘ll have to dig deeper.
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Check your journal quest logs for any mentions of acquiring Hyperdrive components, ship upgrades, or travel to distant star systems. Look for quest markers that could indicate the vendor location.
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If playing on PC, press the ~ key during gameplay to open the developer console. With console open, enter
0015636E.moveto playerand hit enter to hopefully summon the vendor. -
Once spawned, speak with the vendor for a minute, exit conversation, and check if he returns inside the shop. If so, check back occasionally to ensure he stays put.
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If no active quests are locating him, open your starmap and travel to another system. Spend a few in-game days doing activities then return to New Atlantis to see if the vendor respawned.
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As a last resort, submit a support ticket to Bethesda with video footage showing the vendor missing and detailing any attempted fixes. They may be able to restore from a backed up save.
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If unable to restore the vendor after all troubleshooting, utilize other upgrade vendors as necessary until a patch resolves the issue.
And that covers the full gamete of potential solutions and workarounds I‘ve uncovered so far based on my own experience and other players reports. I know it‘s not as satisfying as if he appeared like normal, but hopefully you can at least get your ship upgraded now using one of these methods!
Don‘t Let Annoying Bugs Ruin Your Starfield Adventure
While the New Atlantis ship vendor randomly pulling a disappearing act is mad frustrating, try not to let it put a damper on your Starfield journey!
As one of the most massive and ambitious games in recent memory, some launch quirks in a title of this scale were inevitable. The good news is Bethesda has already issued several patches and will keep optimizing and fixing bugs in the coming weeks.
Also remember this amazing game offers infinite planets to visit, factions to join, quests to complete, customizations to unlock, and adventures to be had! Don‘t waste another minute grounded when amazing horizons await.
Eventually the vendor issues will get ironed out. But in the meantime, you have an entire galaxy to explore, fellow spacewayfarer. Let your journey begin!
Safe travels, and may our flight paths cross out in the vast beyond. The mysteries of the universe await!