If you ever wonder what’s the worst-case scenario for Activision Blizzard once Microsoft Gaming owns the company as well as every intellectual property to its name later this year, look no further than Redfall.
The live-service co-op shooter, which was originally meant to be a multiplatform release, is part of the slate of current-gen games by studios under Bethesda Softworks that had already started development before ZeniMax Media, the company’s parent company, was acquired by Microsoft Gaming. But, while Deathloop, by Arkane Lyon, and Tango Gameworks’ latest pair of outings, Ghostwire: Tokyo and Hi-Fi Rush, have gone on to enjoy varying levels of success, the exact opposite has happened to Redfall. It’s come to the point that people are wondering whether Arkane Austin simply pushed out the product just because it was in development already – a sign of a lack of oversight under new management.
With its reputation sullied by this one failed outing, Arkane Austin, it appears, is all-in on its next project that plays more to its core strengths.
(FYI) Looks like Arkane Austin (Redfall) is going back to their roots with their next game.
They are currently looking for a Lead Technical Engineer who has experience with Single-Player Action RPG games and immersive simulations
Job Listing:https://t.co/8yGF7HPdrJ pic.twitter.com/9CcMrOoF9W
— Idle Sloth💙💛 (@IdleSloth84_) July 19, 2023
Arkane Austin, not to be confused with Arkane Lyon, hasn’t enjoyed as much critical acclaim as Arkane Austin, which is the studio best known for giving audiences the award-winning series, Dishonored. However, the studio did make an excellent single-player outing in 2017 – Prey. The game had nothing to do with the 2006 title of the same name but was somewhat marketed to be a sequel. Due to the confusion and unfair comparisons with Dishonored 2, which racked up accolades a year prior, Prey flew the radar. But, those who played it know that Arkane Austin has the chops to do a quality AAA game if given the chance.
Thus, fans are welcoming a recent sighting where the studio was seen looking for a Lead Technical Engineer that’s familiar with “single-player action RPG games and immersive simulations.”
While this isn’t Dishonored 3 nor a sequel to Deathloop, it’s still excellent news for a studio that deserves to flex its creative muscles.
If nothing else, this listing proves that Microsoft isn’t dropping Arkane Austin anytime soon, something that Matt Booty had confirmed earlier this year.
Microsoft is finally putting its massive investment to work with the upcoming release of Starfield and Avowed, among many others. With Arkane Lyon working on a “more ambitious” project, and Arkane Austin back to its old tricks, suffice to say that the Xbox platform will be giving PlayStation a good run for its money with a heavy slate of upcoming single-player experiences.
If Sony isn’t careful with its live-service investment, Microsoft and Xbox might overtake it as the king of single-player titles for this generation. It’s a lofty expectation but no doubt something that Microsoft would love to see happen.
