Redfall to launch without a performance mode, Starfield may follow suit

It looks like Bethesda’s upcoming shooter Redfall is going to launch without a 60FPS option. This was announced on Wednesday on Redfall’s official Twitter account. Apparently the game will run at up to 4K resolution at 30FPS on Xbox Series X; on Series S it will run at 1440p at 30FPS.

Redfall is launching on Xbox consoles with Quality mode only:
Xbox Series X: 4K 30 FPS
Xbox Series S: 1440p 30 FPS
60 FPS Performance mode will be added via game update at a later date. pic.twitter.com/NLaGsMbwdW

— Redfall (@playRedfall) April 12, 2023

No doubt many will be disappointed to hear this. However, the team states in the post that a 60FPS performance mode will be added in a future update.

It wouldn’t be too surprising if other upcoming Bethesda games like Starfield also launch with 30FPS only. Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard said late last year that

We don’t have a problem with 30 frames per second as long as it looks really good and the simulation is running and all that stuff.”

Analysis of Starfield game trailer footage has indicated that the game was running 30FPS at 4K. Other recent AAA games that launched at 30FPS mode only include A Plague Tale: Requiem and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

https://t.co/VdHWYJJXhr pic.twitter.com/9CDTgQxEOD

— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) April 12, 2023

Nonetheless, many gamers might left feeling a bit galled, seeing as how a “60FPS standard” was often touted during the leadup to the release of the current-gen consoles, with 120 FPS supposedly being not uncommon for the next generation of games. Thus far, these lofty ambitions have mostly yet to materialize.

Redfall releases on May 2 for Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. It will be available on Game Pass day one.