Just like that, the second half of Microsoft's 2022 schedule became a lot less exciting.
Bethesda just confirmed that it will delay Bethesda Game Studios' first new IP in decades, Starfield, as well as Arkane Austin's upcoming co-op shooter, Redfall. Interestingly enough, the delay was quietly announced on Twitter.
The delay isn't exactly a big surprise. If anything, we should have expected it. You have to consider that Bethesda nor Microsoft hasn't shown off Starfield or Redfall much in recent months, which is a glaring red flag for AAA projects. However, this does prove that the earlier reports of Redfall coming out in a few months aren't true.
Very few studios have avoided significant delays during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, if we're being honest, the worldwide catastrophe isn't the only reason for this. CD Projekt RED's Cyberpunk 2077 played a huge factor. The controversy surrounding the open-world action RPG, which mostly stemmed from CDPR rushing it out of the gates, put developers on notice. Many are no longer willing to risk backlash from overworking employees, which used to be normal in the video game industry.