Harvey Smith has revealed that Arkane Austin was allowed to deliver one last Redfall patch after the studio's closure, following negotiations with Microsoft, in an unusual move for a cancelled live-service project
Redfall, the first-person shooter from Arkane Austin, has received a final patch after the studio's closure, following direct negotiations between former staff and Microsoft. The update, version 1.4, was released despite Arkane Austin's official shutdown in May 2024, marking an uncommon post-closure intervention for a live-service title that had already seen its roadmap cancelled.
Studio Closure and Patch Negotiations
Arkane Austin, best known for Prey (2017) and the Dishonored series, was shuttered by Microsoft in May 2024 as part of a wider restructuring of its Xbox studios. The closure came after Redfall's troubled launch in 2023, which was met with negative reviews and persistent technical issues. According to Harvey Smith, a veteran designer who led the project, the team had been working on a significant patch intended to address many of the game's most criticised problems when the closure was announced.
Smith has now confirmed that, after being laid off, he and a small group of former Arkane Austin developers requested permission from Microsoft to return to the office and complete the patch. Microsoft agreed, allowing six or seven ex-employees to finalise and release version 1.4. This update was described as a substantial improvement, though Smith acknowledged it would not have transformed Redfall's reputation if it had been available at launch.
Patch Details and Player Impact
Redfall's version 1.4 patch focused on resolving a large number of bugs and gameplay issues that had persisted since release. While the full patch notes were published alongside the update, the main emphasis was on stability, performance, and addressing player-reported frustrations. The patch was made available for Xbox Series X|S and PC, but with Arkane Austin now closed, no further updates or content are planned.
The decision to allow a post-closure patch is highly unusual in the industry, especially for a live-service game whose ongoing support had already been cancelled. For players, this means version 1.4 is likely to be the definitive state of Redfall, with no expectation of future fixes or new content. The update does not revive the previously cancelled roadmap or introduce new features beyond the promised fixes.
Context Within Xbox and Arkane
Redfall's development reflected a period when many studios, including Arkane Austin, were encouraged to pursue live-service models. The game's departure from Arkane's traditional immersive sim design, combined with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to a challenging production cycle. The closure of Arkane Austin was part of a broader "reset" at Xbox, which has also seen other studios and projects affected.
Meanwhile, Arkane Lyon, the French studio behind Deathloop and currently developing Marvel's Blade, is reportedly in the process of being sold, with the future of its current project uncertain. The fate of Arkane's immersive sim legacy remains a topic of industry discussion, especially as former staff, including Smith, have now established a new studio, Black Pony Immersive, focused on the genre.
Industry Precedent and Player Consequences
It is rare for a publisher to permit a laid-off team to return and deliver a final patch after a studio's closure. This move stands in contrast to the more common practice of ending all support immediately following a shutdown. For players, the release of Redfall's last update offers some closure, but also highlights the risks associated with live-service games that depend on ongoing support from studios and publishers.
For further context on how shifting industry priorities and publisher strategies are affecting major projects, see NGB's coverage of Embracer Group's updated release schedule for Tomb Raider: Catalyst, Kingdom Come and Darksiders 4, which explores the consequences of large-scale restructuring across the industry: Embracer's multi-year roadmap for major franchises.
Live-service games rely on a continuous cycle of updates, patches and new content to maintain player engagement and address technical issues. When a studio is closed or a project is cancelled, this support can end abruptly, leaving games in an unfinished or unstable state. The Redfall case demonstrates both the vulnerability of live-service titles to business decisions and the rare possibility of a final patch being delivered post-closure, but such interventions remain the exception rather than the rule.
