Alongside a deep dive into combat, gameplay, customization, and more, Bethesda and Arkane Studios have confirmed Redfall's release date as May 2 during the recent Xbox Developer Direct. Thanks to reasonable expectations set by the companies beforehand, fans pretty much knew what they'd see at the show, but getting the release date is a nice little surprise.
The Xbox Developer Direct gave fans a deep dive into Redfall, a look at the next Elder Scrolls Online expansion, new details on Forza Motorsport, and a look at the PvP gameplay of Minecraft Legends. The show delivered on all of its promises, and while it remains to be seen how fans react to it/if it is something the companies involved continue, there's now more to look forward to regarding Redfall.
Redfall will release on May 2, exclusively via the Xbox ecosystem of PC and Xbox Series X/S. What's more, Redfall will be a day-one launch on Xbox Game Pass, meaning fans will be able to delve into Deathloop developer Arkane's latest work at the cost of their subscription. Studio developer Harvey Smith recently called this Xbox Game Pass launch something shocking and scary because of the sheer number of folks that could be potentially playing at launch, coupled with the fact that a large portion of Redfall was made during the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, based on what was shown today, the game is looking pretty good for its launch.
Arkane also showed off the visuals around the island, such as its decimated coasts and downtime regions, and survivor bases like the fire station. Players will encounter new enemies like the darkness-based vampires called Shrouds here, as well as summon Rooks, among other locations on the open-world Redfall Island as players strive to uncover the vampires' secrets. Custom stakes, skill trees, weapons, and more all help refine the Arkane experience of Redfall.
At the same time, Redfall's release date announcement is big news for the Xbox ecosystem overall. It is one of the two biggest projects currently confirmed to release for the Xbox ecosystem this year, with Bethesda's Sci-Fi RPG Starfield coming sometime later this year. In the past, it was suggested Redfall would release first and Starfield would come sometime after, and this announcement narrows that down, if slightly more. At the same time, this shouldn't take away from the promise shown in Redfall's recent footage.
Redfall releases for PC and Xbox Series X/S on May 2, 2023.