Arkane exec says Marvel’s Blade will “discover unexplored dimensions of our art,” drawing on Dishonored, Prey, Deathloop and, yes, even Redfall

On October 11, 2024By Yukito

Arkane Studios art director and co-creator Sébastien Mitton says Marvel’s Blade builds on all of the studio’s previous experiences and releases, as well as Redfall.

On Bethesda’s official website, Mitton looks back at Arkane’s previous projects as the studio celebrates its 25th anniversary, starting with 2002’s action RPG Arx Fatalis, which Mitton calls a “bold project” that “ignited our passion for creating immersive worlds and letting players freely , to find amazing (and often surprising!) ways to overcome challenges and tell your story.

He then recalls early collaborations with other studios on “a series of ambitious projects,” some of which “never saw release.” Mitton doesn’t name any specific projects, but before Bethesda recruited Arkane to create Dishonored, the studio worked with a variety of studios, including Ubisoft on 2006’s action RPG Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, Valve on canceled Half-Life spinoff Ravenholm, and Ubisoft for canceled parkour game LMNO. During this time, Arkane was also developing the multiplayer component of Call of Duty: World at War and assisting with the “design, animation and graphics” of BioShock 2.

“These experiences have shaped our vision and approach to creative and innovative game design,” says Mitton. “We combined magic and action in a physical, instinctive way. We combined suspense with creative puzzles. We experimented with bold multiplayer dynamics. We explored thought-provoking emotional and narrative depth. Together, these projects proved that storytelling, gameplay and graphics can come together to create breathtaking magic – a core tenant that is now part of our studio’s DNA.”

Dishonored art depicting a boat ride into the city

Mitton then moves on to reflect on the projects that would make Arkane the respected creator of immersive simulators that it is today. Although the project was a tragic failure and its studio Arkane Austin closed, Redfall is credited with advancing Arkane’s storytelling.

“It was during this period of experimentation and development that Dishonored and its sequels were born, offering a world of characters and choices where every action had consequences,” he says. “In Prey we challenged perceptions of reality in a breathtaking sci-fi thriller, while in Redfall we brought our story to the modern world with science-based vampires and an experience built on camaraderie.

“Finally, DEATHLOOP allowed us to explore time in a fun way, and its aesthetics, music and gameplay have captivated gamers around the world.”

And finally, some information about Marvel’s Blade, which was announced at The Game Awards 2023. Mitton says he is “damn proud and excited to explore the unexplored dimensions of our art.” Speaking of graphics, the post includes some new renders of the game’s main cast, shown above.

Marvel's Blade graphics

(Photo: Arkane)

I know it’s not much, but Arkane has been quiet about this game for several months since its release, so it’s nice to hear that there’s still something going on behind the scenes.

Marvel’s Blade doesn’t have a release date, but it’s safe to say it won’t be included in our roundup new games of 2024.