Former Arkane leaders Harvey Smith and Ben Horne have broken their silence on the failure of Redfall, citing the 'Games-as-a-Service' craze and pandemic disruptions as key factors.

  • Redfall's failure is attributed to the industry's aggressive push toward 'Games-as-a-Service' models.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic and 'The Great Resignation' severely disrupted the development cycle.
  • Despite being laid off, the team successfully pushed for a final 1.4 update.
  • The creators are now launching a new studio, Black Pony Immersive.

The gaming industry has long debated the sudden decline of Redfall, the much-anticipated vampire-slaying Xbox exclusive. Now, the architects behind the project, former Arkane director Harvey Smith and producer Ben Horne, have provided a candid look into what went wrong. According to them, the studio was caught in the overwhelming momentum of the 'Games-as-a-Service' (GaaS) boom.

Smith admitted that Arkane, a studio known for highly specialized and immersive experiences, attempted to pivot toward a wider audience by mixing their core strengths with live-service mechanics. "I had the foolish chutzpah to assume that it always works out for us," Smith remarked, acknowledging that the project forced them away from their traditional strengths.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that Redfall serves as a cautionary tale for the entire AAA gaming industry. It highlights the danger of studios abandoning their creative DNA to chase the lucrative but volatile live-service trends, often at the expense of core gameplay stability.

"I was clearly out of my lane working on a live-service game like Redfall. I was not working on the things that I should be working on." — Harvey Smith

The development journey was further complicated by unprecedented global events. The COVID-19 pandemic and the phenomenon known as 'The Great Resignation' created massive instability within the team. Smith also noted that external factors in Texas, including severe storms and political unrest, added layers of chaos to an already difficult production cycle.

Perhaps the most poignant part of the story is the aftermath of the game's poor launch. After Microsoft closed Arkane Austin and laid off the staff, the team fought to release a 1.4 patch. In a rare move, Microsoft allowed a small group of former employees to return to the building to finalize this update, which Smith believes would have significantly improved the game's reception had it been available at launch.

Did You Know?: Ben Horne described the act of releasing a game update after being fired and having the studio closed as a professional 'achievement unlocked' moment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: What was the impact of the pandemic on Redfall?
Answer: The pandemic, along with remote work shifts and staff turnover, significantly disrupted the development timeline and team cohesion.

Question 2: What is Black Pony Immersive?
Answer: It is a new studio founded by Harvey Smith and Ben Horne focused on creating highly immersive first-person action-RPGs.