Arkane boss on being in Bethesda's shadow: "We release a great game like Dishonored, they release f**king Skyrim"

Redfall xbox series x screenshot
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Redfall director and Arkane boss Harvey Smith is used to living under Bethesda's shadow, although he says getting to work with bigger studios is "a gift."

Talking to PCGN, Smith detailed his experience releasing games under Arkane only to have Bethesda drop another opus in the same general timeframe.

Specifically, he said he isn't worried about the potential of Bethesda's Starfield overshadowing Redfall, as he rightfully pointed out that the two projects are very different in terms of, well, everything.

"Starfield is going to be a really big deal, and it's going to make people happy for many years going forward, but it's a very different thing [from Redfall]. There's some overlap between the audiences but not entirely, and we definitely have a different tone – but I like that [Bethesda Game Studios] exists and I'm going to play a lot of Starfield."

Smith also spoke frankly about why Arkane existing under the same umbrella as the Starfield creator is purely a benefit, as it "takes a lot of the pressure off," which definitely makes sense. If you're an Xbox studio sharing the spotlight with Starfield - arguably 2023's most anticipated title - well, you wouldn't be sharing the spotlight so much as basking in its glow.

Jordan Gerblick

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.