Redfall came out three months ago, and it is safe to say that the game hasn’t lived up to the pre-launch hype. While a lot of players have moved on, fans are still waiting for the post-launch update that may never arrive – despite many having paid for it.
Some gamers have spent extra money on Redfall’s Bite Back Edition which was supposed to add post-launch content to the game. The promised content includes “two future heroes”. However, Arkane Studios has not yet given any update about when the content might arrive, if ever.
Users on the Xbox Series X subreddit are airing their frustrations with the lack of post-launch content. Fans point out that the game has not had any significant updates since the game was launched three months ago, in spite of the numerous issues it had. Usually, flawed launches like this are followed by a frenzied attempt by the studio to set things right.
Additional characters are promised to people who paid extra for the bite back edition, 60 fps was promised for Xbox Series X users, but the fact they literally haven’t even had ONE SINGLE SUBSTANTIAL UPDATE in 3 months is alarming, this concern only grows worse by the fact the devs haven’t given any real update on when we can actually expect any of the promised content,” poster welshdragon888 writes.
The user also points to Phil Spencer’s promise that Redfall would be supported post-launch. Xbox’s boss took accountability – or at least claimed to – for the lackluster launch and promised that Arkane would continue to work on the game.
Arkane also promised to add 60fts support and additional content. However, the studio hasn’t revealed its plans to fans and hasn’t communicated with players. It is especially frustrating for players who spent $99 on the Bite Back Edition.
Many other titles in recent years have suffered disastrous launches. Battlefield 2042 and Cyberpunk 2077 are the most popular examples. However, this year The Last of Us Part 1 PC port and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor are some of the notable titles that encountered technical issues at launch. Forspoken is another title that had largely underwhelmed gamers when it was released.
However, Naughty Dog quickly addressed problems with The Last of Us Part 1 on Windows. EA also released a day one patch for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and added more in the weeks that followed. Square Enix also made up for the lackluster release with patch updates and downloadable content.
Arkane, on the other hand, has been quiet since the launch of Redfall in May. There is no roadmap whatsoever for the studio’s plans for reviving the game – however, at the same time, Arkane is reportedly working on a new ambitious project.
The situation feels similar to how Hello Games went radio silent for several months to focus on working on No Man’s Sky. The game was widely panned at launch similar to Redfall. Many players accused Hello Games of overselling the features of the game and releasing an unfinished title.
Hello Games hunkered down and worked on improving the space survival game. No Man’s Sky received the Foundations update just three months after release, drastically improving the game. Hello Games has been continuously updating the title in the last seven years with immense amounts of content, turning it into one of the most successful redemption stories.
Will Arkane Studios turn things around similar to how Hello Games revived No Man’s Sky? That will be something that only time will tell. For now, it would be best for the studio to at least talk to its player base about what to expect down the line.
