In a recent reflection on the closure of Arkane Studios and the troubled launch of Redfall, Harvey Smith, the former studio director, expressed his shock over the studio’s shutdown by Microsoft following the game’s poor performance. Smith, who has a legacy with titles like Deus Ex and Dishonored, acknowledged the unpredictability of creative efforts, particularly in the games-as-a-service model. He reminisced about the enthusiastic junior developers at the studio and expressed regret for their experience being overshadowed by the failure. The studio was able to release a significant update for Redfall post-closure, which Smith believes could have changed the initial perception of the game.

What led to the closure of Arkane Studios after Redfall's launch?

Arkane Studios was closed by Microsoft due to the poor sales and reception of Redfall, which struggled to meet expectations despite its developers' previous successes.

Redfall, an open-world cooperative shooter released in May 2023, featured elements of vampire lore within a first-person shooter format. The game received criticism for its execution and ultimately failed to connect with audiences, leading to a swift reevaluation of its future at Microsoft. This situation opened discussions about the challenges facing developers in a market increasingly focused on live-service models.