Xbox head on Arkane Austin staying open after Redfall flop: "That is the plan right now"

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Head of Microsoft Studios Matt Booty says Redfall is getting "good play" on Game Pass

Redfall
(Image credit: Arkane)

Xbox doesn't plan on shuttering Arkane Austin any time soon despite the studio's latest effort, Redfall, failing to impress critics and players alike.

In the wake of Redfall's critically panned release, some feared that such a flop could potentially be enough to sink the whole operation. However, in a new Axios interview, Microsoft Studios boss Matt Booty confirmed that, at least for now, Arkane Austin will keep doing what it's doing and making new content for Redfall.

Responding directly to Arkane Austin fans who, in Axios' words, "[hope] the studio will stay open despite the game's initial reception," Booty said, "That is the plan right now. They are hard at work on updates and continued content for Redfall."

So there you have it, Arkane Austin isn't going anywhere, at least for now. Despite admitting that he feels "accountable" for Redfall's poor reception, Booty said the game continues to get "good play" on Xbox Game Pass. "It was a miss, but how much of a miss?" he said. "I want to support them to be able to keep working to deliver the game they had in mind."

Around the time of Redfall's launch, Xbox head Phil Spencer had vaguely similar thoughts about Arkane's vampire shooter, saying he felt "disappointed" by the response while committing to improving the experience. As for the folks who actually worked directly on the game, reports have indicated some devs were hoping Microsoft's acquisition of publisher ZeniMax would kill the project altogether. Yikes.

Here's our Redfall review in case you want to read our own impressions of the game.

Jordan Gerblick
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.