Leakers are busy year-round trying to sniff out new information concerning game updates or releases, and Redfall has been of particular interest recently. Redfall does not have an official release date at the time of writing, but a leaker of credible repute is claiming Bethesda’s latest horror game has suffered an internal delay, pushing its potential release date back by six weeks. Delays have plagued Redfall’s development, with the title initially intended to be available in 2022, and news of yet another setback will surely elicit groans from fans who eagerly anticipate the vampire-themed game. However, a delay could open a window of opportunity for the franchise, as there are currently few names scheduled to hit the market at the same time as Redfall’s hinted date.
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Redfall Could Cause a Stir in a Scanty Release Window
2023 promises to be as busy a year for developers as any the industry has encountered, with a loaded roster of AAA games set to hit the market. A few of these are already lined up - with One Piece Odyssey set to kickstart the domino effect on January 13 - but a large contingent of games, including Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Ark 2, is still without definite launch dates. Redfall lies in this category, and judging by its estimated release date according to leaks, Bethesda’s latest franchise addition should be gracing gamers’ screens by early May.
Currently, May doesn’t have a lot lined up on its plate. The only games officially confirmed to hit the market in May are The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. If the status quo is maintained, although unlikely, Redfall would have a unique opportunity to ramp up the gaming community’s support without having to compete with other titles for the limited limelight. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is scheduled to hit the Switch platform on May 12, and the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is slated for two weeks after Zelda on May 26.
This type of opportunity doesn’t come along often, and from the marketing standpoint, Bethesda has a lot more room to maneuver in its advertising campaigns for Redfall. In the past few years, interest in the apocalyptic category dominated by titles like The Last of Us and Left 4 Dead has dwindled due to recycled content. Redfall is putting a much-needed spin on the narrative of the undead, using vampires in place of the universally recognized zombies. Gamers were curious to see how Redfall would create a hierarchy with their new approach to the apocalyptic genre, and Arkane recently outlined the vampire types available for gameplay. From all indications, Redfall is more of an open-world experience, as players can shape their adventures in the fictional town.
The refreshing large-scale vampire purge twist to the generic survival experience is sure to appeal to gamers. Arkane’s bold move to turn away from the generic storylines of Doomsday could reap bountiful rewards, and for a title similar to Forspoken with its delays, the current release calendar might be the springboard Redfall needs to stand out from the crowd.
Redfall is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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