Redfall, Redfail, Redfallout | Kaser Focus

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Redfall is finally out, and let’s just say the gaming community was not impressed with it. The “Left 4 Dead but with vampires” co-op FPS was hyped up by Microsoft, only to (Red)fall flat when it walked through the door. While it’s not the end of the world for a game to be a disappointment, the tepid-bordering on-spicy reception to Redfall has implications for the future of Xbox. More specifically, it’s casting doubt on Xbox’s viability as a games publisher and console maker.

Xbox CEO Phil Spencer appeared on Kinda Funny’s XCast to speak about Redfall’s poor reception (as well as the CMA blocking the Activision acquisition), and was refreshingly candid. He acknowledged the game was a disappointment, but added that a delay wouldn’t have changed much as Xbox didn’t wish to interfere with Arkane’s creative vision. It’s rough, because a four-player co-op title like Redfall already feels like it’s from another time, and no amount of delays would change the fundamentals. Redfall simply wasn’t what anyone wanted.

There’s a part of me that sympathizes with Arkane Austin and Xbox — Spencer said the company’s internal mock reviews predicted a much better reception than the game received. But every time I feel a bit soft towards them, that $70 price tag comes back to bring me to reality. Gamers spending hard-earned money on something that lets them down is not something to dismiss in this economy. I’m holding any worries about Xbox’s future in reserve until Starfield comes out, which could either turn Xbox’s fortunes around or push it further into the mire.

In personal news, I’m still playing Jedi: Survivor and Benedict Fox this