In a new post on Twitter, developer Arkane Studios confirmed that Arkane Austin is closing and will not continue development on Redfall. The post adds that Arkane Lyon will still work on its next project.
A new report today confirmed that Microsoft is closing four game studios, including both Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks. So, the fate of games like Redfall seemed unclear.
Arkane Studios elaborated in today’s post, explaining that Redfall servers will “remain online for players to enjoy.”
Redfall launched almost exactly a year ago in May 2023. The game received very mixed reviews from both critics and fans, and Metacritic user scores currently sit at a dismal 3.5.
However, the devs made the effort to add notable post-launch features. In October 2023, Redfall even added a 60 FPS performance mode, which many fans hoped for at launch. So, for those who ultimately enjoyed Redfall despite its early shortcomings, at least Redfall will still be playable.
It’s a nice gesture that Arkane Austin will allow Redfall players who bought the Hero Pass as part of premium purchases to receive the value of the upgrade.
Arkane Lyon’s studio director Dinga Bakaba issued a lengthy response on Twitter regarding Arkane Austin’s closure. They called this outcome “absolutely terrible” and a “gut stab.”
Bakaba reiterated that Arkane Lyon is “safe,” but called for executives to take care of artists and entertainers, and “help them create value for you.”
The decision marks another blow to the industry, still consistently hit by closures and layoffs. Just last week, a WARN filing in Washington State suggested that Take-Two Interactive will close its Seattle office.
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