Ahead of Redfall’s release later this year, developers Arkane Studios have come forward and shared that although the game is a single-player game, it will require players to always be online. Players can experience the campaign with their friends, but those who would prefer to play it solo can go with this option all the way through. Following the official announcement from Arkane, fans are unhappy with the always-online news and have taken to social media to share their dissatisfaction with the practice.
Prospective Redfall players have taken to Twitter and the game’s subreddit to share their thoughts about the game being always-online. For some, it’s a mixed perspective, but this is coming from those who already play always-online games, such as Destiny 2. Many have shared that this is a bad point of comparison since Redfall is a single-player experience.
The comments range from calling Redfall “dead on arrival,” a “no purchase,” and sharing a lost interest in the game. Some have defended this news, citing that multiple games already have these constant internet connections.
Regardless, many who were excited about the game have begun to divert their interest away from it, which could translate to a softer launch. Additionally, many are curious why features like this were not separate, making it a single-player experience that could occur without using the internet. Those who want to play online could switch it on when they want to play with friends.
Arkane Studios has until Redfall launches on May 2 to make any headway with the community. Given the current news, it looks like many hopefully players will hold off on buying the game or retract their pre-orders. Although a handful of players are still planning to purchase the game and play it on launch day through the Xbox Game Pass, launch numbers might be lower than Arkane Studios expected following this news. Hopefully, it’s enough for them to do something about it, but it’s unlikely such a drastic change can occur nearly three months from launch.
