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.

An update on Redfall and Starfield. pic.twitter.com/pqDtx26Uu6

— Bethesda (@bethesda) May 12, 2022

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.

In a way, the delay is good news. Giving Arkane Studios and Bethesda Game Studios more time to work on the upcoming titles will serve them well. Not to mention, both are next-gen exclusives. A year-long delay will give more gamers time to get their hands on an Xbox Series S/X.

Unfortunately, delaying Starfield and Redfall does put Microsoft in a bind.

At the moment, the only two exclusives scheduled to come out for the Xbox Series S/X in the latter half of 2022 are Scorn and S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2, which aren't big console sellers.

Microsoft will have to do a mighty fine job at marketing Starfield and Redfall in the next few months to ramp up the sales of the Xbox Series S/X during the holiday season. Not to mention, the tech giant will have to keep up with the potential increased demand as well. Otherwise, Starfield and Redfall might not sell as well as they should. The games won't be coming out on the PS5 anytime soon, if not ever.

Hopefully, we'll see more of Starfield and Redfall at the upcoming showcase on June 12.