Harvey Smith, the director of the ill-fated vampire shooter Redfall, has opened up about the game’s significant shortcomings and the factors that contributed to its ultimate failure, which also led to the closure of Arkane Austin studio.
A Shift in Focus and Industry Trends
In a recent interview with The Game Business, Smith reflected on the development of Redfall, acknowledging the immense difficulties the project faced. “The Redfall project was very difficult,” he stated. “We wanted to focus on what we do best, but the entire industry was evolving.”
Smith admitted that the development team was swayed by the prevailing trend of service-based games. “We were led astray by the trend of service games, and I, perhaps a bit arrogantly, thought that this model would always work for us.” This pivot in design philosophy appears to have been a core misstep, pulling the studio away from its established strengths.
External Shocks and Their Impact
Beyond the internal strategic shifts, the development of Redfall was further complicated by external factors, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic. “Then, while all this was going on, the pandemic hit,” Smith explained. “We experienced layoffs, and everyone was remote-working and looking for new jobs.” These disruptions undoubtedly hindered progress and team cohesion.
Post-Launch Efforts and Lessons Learned
Despite the game’s critical and commercial disappointment, Smith highlighted the team’s dedication to improving Redfall even after its rocky launch. “A year after Redfall launched, our team fixed thousands of bugs,” he shared. The studio continued to roll out updates even after being divested from Microsoft’s Xbox division.
While Redfall‘s failure resulted in the unfortunate closure of Arkane Austin, Smith’s reflections offer valuable insights into the challenges of navigating evolving industry landscapes and the perils of chasing trends. The experience serves as a cautionary tale about staying true to a studio’s core identity while adapting to market demands.
