Redfall Feels Like It’s Being Set Up To Fail

[Unchained]

Redfall Feels Like It's Being Set Up To Fail

Redfall keeps walking into PR disaster after PR disaster, something that Arkane doesn't really need.

culturedvultures.com

Redfall has been having a bit of a rough go of it in the lead up to its launch, as Arkane and Bethesda cannot seem to drum up interest in the game without stifling its hype in the process. Whether it was the lacklustre IGN gameplay showcase, the reveal that Redfall is going to be always-online even if people want to play it as a single-player game, or the more recent news that the Xbox Series X version of the game will be locked to 30fps at launch, people haven’t been too pleased with the way Redfall has been marketed.

Granted, Bethesda and Arkane have gone out to perform some damage control on the negative rep that Redfall has already managed to garner. Gameplay previews released after that IGN preview have showcased a faster pace of gameplay, which seems to be more agreeable to the gaming public at large. Meanwhile, they’ve also bent over backwards to remind people that they’re looking into removing the always online requirement entirely, and have promised that a 60fps performance mode is in the pipeline.

However, those positive pushes aren’t doing much to truly alleviate concerns that players have had about the game, particularly with regards to the online functionality and the framerate. Putting out a statement that you’ll remove the online-only functionality is nice and all, but is it really credit worthy to fix a situation you caused in the first place? As for the framerate fracas, playing a co-op shooter at 30fps isn’t the end of the world, but given how all the previews of Redfall have been at 60fps, it feels like the game has been somewhat falsely advertised. It’s also especially disappointing to feel like we’re already back at games being 30fps this soon into the next generation.

To that end, there’s even the fact that Redfall, which looks similar to open world FPS titles like Far Cry (albeit with supernatural powers), is launching a week and a half before The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a game that could revolutionise open world games once again.

If Horizon Zero Dawn can suffer from the Zelda curse, Redfall certainly can too.

But what’s the longevity of a game like Redfall beyond that? Game Pass and the always online functionality means that physical game sales are practically pointless, while games like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are likely going to overshadow Redfall in the weeks after launch. Redfall probably won’t end up being a disaster, but there was a potential here for Redfall to be Microsoft’s killer app going into the summer. Based on how the game’s been marketed and presented until then, it could just be an afterthought by June.

 

[Box]

Maybe Microsoft will use this as a reason to buy Activision, 4D chess move

 

[Zzero]

I don't think Zelda will kill it like some are saying- they're both exclusive to different platforms. There might be some crossover, just due to Switch's utterly massive install base but normal people do not own two current gen consoles, they're selling to different people. Not to say that its out of the woods yet, just that its issues are all in the game, and not the launch date.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

I don't think Zelda will kill it like some are saying- they're both exclusive to different platforms. There might be some crossover, just due to Switch's utterly massive install base but normal people do not own two current gen consoles, they're selling to different people. Not to say that its out of the woods yet, just that its issues are all in the game, and not the launch date.

Supposedly Zelda killed Horizon Zero Dawn and they were both on different platforms.

To this day, people still bring up Zelda when they talk about Horizon. Even last weekend there was a big debate about it here (RIP Remi).

 

[Nhomnhom]

I would've never guessed Xbox fans would be putting so much faith in this Redfall when I first saw it.It always looked cheap and forgettable.

But then again it's 2023 and they are still hyping up Hellblade sequel. I guess they just work with the material they are given.

 

[anonpuffs]

Redfall was set up to fail the moment is was limited to the xbox platform. Sorry Bethesda, you made your bed now lie in it.

 

[Gediminas]

I don't think Zelda will kill it like some are saying- they're both exclusive to different platforms. There might be some crossover, just due to Switch's utterly massive install base but normal people do not own two current gen consoles, they're selling to different people. Not to say that its out of the woods yet, just that its issues are all in the game, and not the launch date.

Star Wars is pretty big. Game looks like big improvement over FO.

 

[Remember_Spinal]

Forgottenfall