Key Takeaways
- Arkane Studios founder Raphael Colantonio believes Microsoft’s decision to shut down Arkane Austin earlier this year was a mistake.
- Colantino commended Arkane Austin’s talent and reckons it’s impossible to replicate it, and that Microsoft should’ve given the studio another shot.
- Arkane Austin only released two projects prior to the closure – Prey and Redfall.
As a long-time fan of Arkane Studios, I wholeheartedly agree with Raphael Colantonio’s sentiments regarding Microsoft’s decision to close Arkane Austin. Having followed their journey since the critically acclaimed Prey (2017), I was eagerly anticipating more from this creative powerhouse.
Raphael Colantonio, founder of Arkane Studios, has voiced his disapproval towards Microsoft’s move to shut down Arkane Austin earlier this year. Despite the fact that Arkane Austin developed only two projects independently, including the game Redfall which received mixed reviews as a looter-shooter, Colantonio believes that the decision to permanently close the studio was “unwise” on Microsoft’s part.
In May, Microsoft generated a lot of news when it decided to close four Bethesda studios: Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Roundhouse Studios, and Alpha Dog Games. The closure of Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks was particularly significant because they had recently released new games in 2023. While Tango’s game “Hi-Fi Rush” was well-received by both critics and fans, “Redfall,” the release from Arkane Austin, didn’t fare as well. Not only did it receive mixed reviews, but player numbers for “Redfall” were disappointingly low throughout its entire run.
After Microsoft closed down Arkane Austin, the studio responsible for Redfall, its founder Raphael Colantonio expressed regret, considering the team as a unique group of individuals who had produced captivating projects in the past and were capable of doing so again. In an interview with PC Gamer, Colantonio suggested that Microsoft’s decision might have been driven by the need to satisfy shareholders.
Arkane Founder Feels Arkane Austin Was a Creative Powerhouse
As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but feel that Microsoft made a misstep when they dismantled Arkane Austin, a powerhouse team behind games like Redfall and Dishonored. The creative brilliance of Harvey Smith and Ricardo Bare was something truly magical, and it took them forever to reach their peak performance. I believe giving them another chance would have been the right move, but it seems that Arkane Austin is not destined for a comeback anytime soon, unlike Tango Gameworks and the Hi-Fi Rush IP.
The only thing that I stand by is saying that the specific choice of killing Arkane Austin, that was not a good decision. Recreating a very special group like that is, I would dare to say, impossible. It takes forever.
2024 has been particularly tough for the gaming industry, with an estimated 13,000 layoffs so far – the highest number ever recorded in a single year. Weekly, we see studios closing their doors, such as Firewalk Studios, recently shuttered by Sony, and Neon Koi just a few days ago. However, despite the industry’s volatile nature, it’s truly regrettable to see Arkane Austin joining the annals of history after only two projects. Fortunately, many skilled developers from Arkane Austin have moved on to Colantino’s WolfEye Studios; however, it remains uncertain when the wave of layoffs and studio closures will subside.
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2024-10-31 17:13