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Arkane might've been working on Marvel's Blade for a pretty.. pretty long time
The plot thickens in the Marvel's Blade saga! Recent evidence suggests that the game might have been quietly in the works for nearly two years, a considerably longer time than the reveal trailer hinted at during The Game Awards 2023.
The revelation adds a fascinating layer to the ongoing mystery of Blade's target platforms, as exclusivity questions now intertwine with the project's current status. Arkane Studios, the genius minds behind Dishonored, dropped the bombshell announcement on December 7, leaving fans with a teaser that wrapped up with the tantalizing phrase "now in development." Ah, the power of words! While that might sound like the game just took its first breath, it seems Marvel's Blade has been in the shadows, cooking up its superhero magic for quite some time. The gaming plot thickens, and the questions keep piling up—platforms, exclusivity, and the untold tale of Blade's development journey.
The mystery of Marvel's Blade takes a turn as evidence from the LinkedIn profile of Arkane Studios Campaign Director Dana Nightingale surfaces. According to the discovery by Twitter user BethWilder26, Nightingale has been donning the hat of the principal designer for the Marvel's Blade campaign since January 2022. This revelation puts a spotlight on her senior role at the company, suggesting a deeper involvement in the project from its early stages.
The gaming detective work is paying off, and it seems that Marvel's Blade has been brewing in the cauldron of creativity for longer than the "now in development" tagline might have suggested. As the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, the anticipation builds, and fans are left wondering what other secrets Marvel's Blade might be hiding in its superhero arsenal.
The timeline revelation adds another layer to the Marvel's Blade narrative! If we crunch the numbers, it seems Marvel's Blade kicked off its development journey approximately a year after Microsoft sealed the deal on the acquisition of ZeniMax Media, Arkane's parent company. It's an interesting tidbit that places the game's inception in the post-acquisition era.
Drawing a parallel with another ambitious project in the Bethesda family, the Indiana Jones game, which is still described as being in its "very early stages" six months after being confirmed. This insight offers a perspective—Arkane and MachineGames, being similar-sized studios, might find themselves at comparable stages of development for their respective Disney-inspired titles. The mystery unfolds, and the gaming universe keeps us guessing about the untold stories behind our favorite upcoming adventures.
Doubt is cast on the theory that Arkane's next title, including Marvel's Blade, might miss the current console generation. Previous speculation suggested that this could be a reason for Marvel's Blade not being confirmed as an Xbox Series X/S console exclusive, with Microsoft typically deciding on target platforms closer to release.
If Marvel's Blade has indeed been in production since early 2022, there's reason to believe it's on track for a launch within the current console generation. While AAA development cycles have trended longer recently, Arkane's historical pace has been fairly consistent, averaging around four years for their projects.
A noteworthy aspect is Arkane's tendency to avoid announcing titles in their early stages, and if this tradition holds, it adds weight to the idea that Marvel's Blade has been in development for a substantial duration. Of course, the dynamics could have shifted under Microsoft's ownership, adding yet another layer of intrigue to the evolving tale of Marvel's Blade.