Legendary game designer Harvey Smith has revealed that he and a small group of former Arkane Austin developers had to plead with Microsoft to release one final patch for Redfall after the studio was shut down.
Quick Facts
- Game: Redfall
- Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S
- Key Update: Version 1.4 patch
- Developer: Arkane Austin
First launched in May 2023 to negative reviews, the first-person vampire shooter proved to be the final project for Arkane Austin. Studio lead Harvey Smith found himself out of work in May 2024 when Microsoft announced the closure of the Texas-based studio, which effectively canceled the game's ongoing post-launch roadmap.
However, the team had already been working on version 1.4, an update designed to tackle numerous player issues. In a recent interview, Smith explained that he negotiated with Microsoft to let a small crew return to the office to push the update live.
"We then got laid off, but we had in the pipe version 1.4. It was the one that fixed tons of stuff," Smith recalled. "So, we went to Microsoft and said, ‘I know we don't work here anymore, but can we please release this?' And to their credit, they did not say no."
Six or seven developers signed forms allowing them back into the building to release version 1.4. Smith noted that while the update wouldn't have saved the troubled launch, it resulted in a much improved experience for players.