While removing the$1 Xbox Game Pass trialwas a bit of a blow, it pales in comparison to Game Pass' latest failure,Redfall. A one-to-four-player co-op vampire shooter developed by Arkane Austin,Redfallhas been marketed over the last two years as one of Xbox’s biggest 2023 titles, and the first exclusive to really kick off the year in style. ButRedfall’s reception hasn’t been all that great, and now all eyes are on Bethesda’s long-awaitedStarfield,the only game that could be Xbox Game Pass' saving grace in 2023.
RELATED:Redfall is a Prime Example of a Good Xbox Game Pass Title
Starfield Could Make or Break Xbox Game Pass in 2023
Xbox Game Pass, in general, has had a fairly solid year so far. January saw a handful ofPersonagames reach Game Pass, February hadMount and Blade 2, March hadValheim, andApril hadGhostwire: Tokyo. But while Xbox Game Pass is continuing to receive some much-needed support from its third-party partners, its own day-one offerings haven’t been all that great.
Though the year started off strong withGoldenEye 007, February sawAtomic Heart’s controversial release, a long-awaited FPS that was extremely divisive among critics and fans alike. March’s big-ticket item,Wo Long Fallen Dynasty, fell into a similar pitfall, receiving a relatively mixed reception overall. This only continued into April withMinecraft Legends, a highly-anticipated action-strategy spinoff that, again, received mixed reviews upon release.
Xbox Game Pass' own first-party and day-one offerings have stumbled at every turn this year, and the final nail in the coffin isRedfall. For the last two years, Xbox has put a lot of eggs inRedfall’s basket, continuously reminding fans that this was its next big first-party exclusive, and it was going to be one to remember. Unfortunately,Redfallwill likely be remembered, but in all the wrong ways. With controversies with framerates, a laundry list of technical issues on launch day, and generic FPS gameplay tucked underneath it all,Redfallhas the potential to beXbox Game Pass' first real disaster.
Once thought to be a developer that could do no wrong, even despite very buggy launches, Bethesda has lost a lot of goodwill over the last decade, andStarfieldis its one opportunity to fix it all. And if that wasn’t enough pressure,Starfieldnow has to save Xbox Game Pass too. AfterHalo Infinitefailed to stick the landing,Groundedwas forgotten about, andPentimentwas just a little too niche to attract a large audience,Redfallwas supposed to be Xbox Game Pass' first big exclusive of 2023, and now that it’s failed, it’s all down toStarfield, and if it’s anything less than Game of the Year material, Xbox Game Pass could be in real trouble.
