Arkane's Redfall is set to be Xbox's first major first-party exclusive in a while. With one of its last blockbuster titles, Halo Infinite, being criticized for lacking content and feeling unfinished at launch, it's important that Xbox's next big hitters hit the mark to restore fans' faith in the company. Redfall looks like a promising and exciting co-op first-person shooter made by the developers behind the popular Dishonored franchise and the highly-praised Deathloop.
However, Redfall has already divided fans with the reveal that any progress made in co-op would only count towards the host. The fact that all players, including those in single-player mode, will need to be persistently online to play the game was another frustration for fans. Unfortunately, the game's latest update announcing that it would release solely with a 30 FPS Quality Mode has only made the situation worse. Though a 60 FPS Performance mode will be added post-launch, Redfall's incomplete release is indicative of a wider, worrying gaming trend.
Why Redfall's 30 FPS-Only Release Is Frustrating
The high-powered capabilities of the current generation consoles have had a knock-on effect. Fans now expect major new releases to launch with 60 FPS options or higher, especially first-person shooters where frame rate can be more noticeable and have an impact on gameplay. Redfall's previous Xbox store listings also confirmed the plan was to release it with 60 FPS, the fact that it won't meet those expectations day one is incredibly disappointing.
Fans are frustrated with games launching in broken or unfinished states. Microsoft should have learned from Halo Infinite, which despite its fantastic gameplay, failed to maintain players due to its severe lack of content at launch. Master Chief's latest outing should have been delayed further to give fans the best possible version of the game from the off. Although Redfall doesn't seem to be suffering as badly as Halo, fans are still tired of games launching without all the promised and expected features.
Redfall's latest announcement is also part of a wider worrying trend for Xbox and Game Pass especially. Some fans believe that Game Pass allows Xbox to lower the quality of its first-party output, as the titles are playable as part of subscription service and, therefore, don't have to live up to the expectations of a full $70 price tag. They argue that Redfall's limited frame rate is indicative of such an approach, suggesting Microsoft doesn't mind if its games aren't at the very top level as long as they're good enough to satisfy Game Pass' subscribers.
Despite the Criticism, Redfall Still Deserves a Chance
Despite these concerns, the level of criticism toward Redfall for its 30 FPS announcement is perhaps too harsh. First, Arkane Austin still plans to implement a 60 FPS mode. There are plenty of other games that are also releasing with 30 FPS only, so to just call out Redfall certainly isn't fair. Plus, for many gamers, frame rate isn't hugely important overall, and it won't impact the game's its performance, gameplay, or overall quality. Some even prefer Quality Mode over Performance Mode.
Criticisms levied towards Redfall's frame rate also seem overblown when there are so many other titles -- including rival first-party blockbusters like The Last of Us Part I's PC port -- that are releasing in completely unplayable states. With that in mind, it's not fair to highlight Redfall's incomplete launch as solely an Xbox or Game Pass issue. Still, it's becoming too common in the gaming industry for AAA new releases to launch in an unfinished state. Backlash against Redfall following the latest announcement makes it clear that fans are frustrated with this happening time and again, something that should remind developers that it's far better to delay a game until it's ready than to rush out an incomplete and broken product.