The co-op vampire-hunting shooter, Redfall, has found itself in dire straits as its concurrent player count on Steam has dwindled to single digits, and on some occasions, there aren’t even enough players to form a full four-player co-op team.
This slump has persisted, with the game consistently hitting single-digit player counts every day since September 22, marking over two weeks of dwindling interest. As of the latest data from SteamDB, the player count hovers at a mere nine. However, it’s crucial to note that these figures do not account for players on Xbox Game Pass or those on Xbox Series X|S consoles.
Arkane Austin’s latest creation was met with poor reviews from both fans and critics alike. In a review back in May, it was labeled as “one of the worst games of the year.” This sentiment was echoed by many, including Xbox head Phil Spencer, who expressed his disappointment with Redfall. There were even rumors that the developers themselves were quietly hoping for Microsoft to cancel the project.
Despite this grim scenario, Bethesda Softworks’ head of publishing, Pete Hines, remains committed to Redfall’s improvement. He stated that “we’re going to get it to be a good game,” emphasizing their ongoing dedication to player satisfaction. He acknowledged that they are constantly learning and striving to meet player expectations.
Hines drew a parallel between Redfall’s current situation and the rocky launch of Fallout 76, another game published by Bethesda. He noted that Fallout 76 had a less-than-flawless release but managed to stabilize and find its own identity and appeal over time. Hines emphasized that “Redfall is no different for us.”
However, it’s essential to underscore that while Fallout 76 did have its issues at launch, it still maintained a player base with thousands of players at any given moment. In contrast, Redfall appears to be grappling with a severe decline in player engagement, potentially turning it into a deserted virtual landscape.
The fate of Redfall in the coming months will be closely watched to see if the developers can turn the tide and reignite interest in the game.