Gamers had been excited on the prospect that Redfall may mix the enjoyable co-op loot mechanics of a Borderlands with the bespoke environmental storytelling of a Dishonored. Finally, although, the day-one Recreation Go blockbuster didn’t fairly accomplish both of this stuff, and it was burdened at launch by bugs, efficiency points, and peculiar gameplay points as well. Now followers who spent $100 on the deluxe version are nonetheless ready on the 2 post-launch DLC heroes they had been promised on the time.
“Redfall exists as a novelty from a as soon as nice studio that has neither lived as much as its hype or the guarantees,” a participant, who goes by Apparent on Discord and is among the $100 version house owners, instructed Kotaku. “It’s higher than it ever was, which makes it nearly attain ‘mediocre’ however it by no means received the Cyberpunk remedy and possibly by no means will, however I’d be fortunately confirmed incorrect on this case.”
That they had hoped the DLC heroes can be launched as a part of a giant Halloween replace final yr, and haven’t performed the sport in months. “The actual fact it’s taken over a yr now exhibits Redfall both hit points or they hadn’t even began [on the DLC], which is weird,” Apparent mentioned. “Some individuals assume they is perhaps engaged on it behind the scenes for an additional huge launch in some unspecified time in the future, however I’m beginning to lose hope in that.”
Redfall, developed by Arkane Austin, was Microsoft’s first Xbox Sequence X/S sport with a next-gen price ticket of $70. Gamers hyped for the squad-based shooter about killing vampires in a small Stephen King-esque New England city went above and past and bought the Chew Again Version for $100 (which continues to be on the market on Xbox, Steam, and the Microsoft Retailer). Along with a laser beam pores and skin, tactical knife stake weapon attachment, and various outfits for the 4 major characters—Jacob, Layla, Remi, and Devinder—it additionally included the Redfall Hero Go for “two future heroes” that will be added to the always-online shooter down the street.
However Redfall’s launch was such a multitude that Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer went on a podcast to personally apologize, and Arkane seemingly had greater fish to fry. The builders rushed out a hotfix for infinite loading screens and save system crashes. A month later, a model 1.1 replace addressed a variety of different glitches in addition to enemy AI and encounter frequency points, each of which had gone an extended method to making Redfall’s fight really feel each janky and empty. Large patches within the fall delivered the sport’s long-awaited 60fps mode on console and a brand new sniper rifle referred to as the Basilisk and extra steadiness modifications.
What in regards to the new characters? “We’re persevering with growth of The Hero Go and we’re excited to share extra about Redfall’s new heroes and different updates later subsequent yr,” the event group wrote within the patch notes final November. Practically six months later, there’s been no additional replace on the standing of the lacking DLC, or whether or not Redfall nonetheless has a future as former Bethesda VP Pete Hines had beforehand promised. Many followers had been hoping for an replace on the one-year anniversary of the sport’s Might 2, 2023 launch, or probably even a shock shadow drop. As an alternative, the Redfall Twitter account hasn’t posted in 30 days. The final tweet reads, “that’s bait.”
“Oof, with the quantity of radio silence, beginning to fear Bethesda forgot it even made this,” one participant wrote on the Redfall Discord server final month. “Shiny aspect, if they will’t keep in mind, they will’t shut it down.” One other responded, “We might publicly gaslight ourselves into performing just like the dlc got here out and the video games peak.”
Largely a ghost city at this level, there are nonetheless sporadic feedback on the server from these nonetheless taking part in (Steam concurrents now hover round 50) or followers ready for a whisper that the DLC heroes are lastly popping out. “I’ve realized a very long time in the past that you must by no means pre-order video games given how they’ve been releasing them these days and I’m not simply speaking about Redfall,” a participant who goes by rabbi921 instructed Kotaku. “Sadly it’s not the fault of the workers, however of the managers of those corporations [who] at all times attempt to launch the video games in horrible situation and cheat the shopper who buys the sport by betraying their belief.”
“I’ve performed a number of Redfall on Recreation Go and I can’t wait to purchase the dlc however first they’ve to point out me one thing concrete,” they continued. “I really like this sport however I don’t need to be made enjoyable of both. I feel kind of all the opposite followers assume the identical.”
