Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, the next chapter in Ninja Theory’s acclaimed action adventure, debuted at The Game Awards 2019 as an Xbox Series X console exclusive. It doesn’t have a launch date but the trailer was quite the spectacle. So in a rather interesting twist, Microsoft has announced that the game will be developed on Unreal Engine 5.
In a new Xbox Wire post detailing everything you need to know about the Xbox Series X, it stated that, “The power of Xbox Series X was first demonstrated with the unveiling of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2. The team will be building the game on Unreal 5 and leveraging the power of Xbox Series X to bring the Hellblade franchise to levels never before seen. The footage shown was captured in-engine and reflects the power of Xbox Series X available to developers to deliver new universes, experiences and games in ways you have never imagined.”
Of course, Epic Games unveiled Unreal Engine 5 with real-time tech demo running on PlayStation 5. The engine will support current and next-gen systems along with mobile platforms and PC. Fortnite will shift to the engine in 2021 and even inXile Entertainment’s next-gen RPG is being developed on the same.
As such, it’s not too surprising to hear Unreal Engine 5 is being utilized by Xbox Game Studios. The question is: How will this affect development on Hellblade 2? We’ll probably hear more about the game’s status in July when Microsoft hosts an event showcasing its first-party titles coming to Xbox Series X so stay tuned.