Arkane Lyon – Video Game News, Reviews, Walkthroughs And Guides | GamingBolt https://gamingbolt.com Get a Bolt of Gaming Now! Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:56:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Crimson Desert’s “Opposite” Design to Other Open-World Games Helped Success, Says Arkane Lyon Boss https://gamingbolt.com/crimson-deserts-opposite-design-to-other-open-world-games-helped-success-says-arkane-lyon-boss Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:53:30 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=640614 While its critical reception may have been quite diverse, there has been something alluring about Crimson Desert, leading to massive sales and players spending hundreds of hours in its open world. Arkane Lyon studio director Dinga Bakaba believes that this comes down to how Crimson Desert “functions opposite” when compared with other open-world games in several ways.

One of the core ways Pearl Abyss achieved this, he noted, was by getting players used to the “gameyness” of Crimson Desert quite early on. This includes aspects such as its control scheme, gameplay systems, and even other games that may have inspired it. The “magic” of the open world only starts kicking in after players have already spent a few hours with the game.

“Interesting how Crimson Desert functions opposite to most games of this type: generally the beginning is magical, and after a while you start to see the strings ‘ah this is close to this game, oh this is going to be repeated etc,” he wrote on social media. “You start with the gameyness front-loaded: the inspirations, the controls, the systems: it’s almost all you see. But after a while, all this takes the back seat: magic kicks in and doesn’t disappear because you have already accepted the rules/constitutive elements.”

“It’s almost like the specific type of immersion of a board game where at first all you see is the board/rules, but then you enter the magic circle properly, and the real fun begins. And where it excels is at this point, the game hasn’t thrown everything it has in store at you.”

Bakaba went on to praise the fact that Crimson Desert likes to introduce new aspects of its open world to players at a steady pace. He also noted that gameplay systems introduced in this way also happen to be quite “meaty” and fit into the larger world quite well. This helps players have more fun in their journeys, since they’re also constantly rewarded for the time they spend with the game.

“It keeps on introducing new things, giving more significance to systems and making them interact with each other,” he wrote. “It doesn’t hurt that most of them are ‘meaty’ and realized diegetically, and that there is also some tonal liberties with some (smartly engineered) stupid fun.”

“This coalesces in a singular player journey from game to magic to discovery that might be why so many find investing time in it rewarding and “personal”. In a time of fast consumption, a game that is sticky because it has friction, and not because it’s smiley feels amazing.”

Crimson Desert was released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S in mid-March and has since become quite a hit with players. Pearl Abyss recently confirmed that it had sold 4 million copies of the game. The fact that the studio has offered consistent post-launch support by releasing updates that address some of its biggest pain points, as noted by players, has also certainly helped. Check out our review for more details. And while you’re at it, take a look at our own thoughts about why calling the game’s early parts “boring” misses the entire point.

]]> 640614 Dishonored 2 Studio’s Reputation for “Refined Games” Saved its Future https://gamingbolt.com/dishonored-2-studios-reputation-for-refined-games-saved-its-future Fri, 24 Jan 2025 14:28:27 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=609765 Dishonored 2 was a critically acclaimed title, but it didn’t perform as well commercially. According to former designer at Arkane Lyon, Julien Eveillé, the studio might not have survived if Arkane didn’t have good standing in game design.

In an interview with PCGamer, Eveillé spoke about how expensive the game was to make (seemingly costing more than The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim), and the studio’s reputation of refined video game releases.

“It was a bit strange and weird,” said Eveillé. “I think when Bethesda was looking at the numbers, they thought, ‘OK, Skyrim sold so much. And it cost less than Dishonored 2 to make.’ So they were asking questions. From an executive spending standpoint, it makes sense to ask those questions, ‘Why should we keep going with you?’ But we knew we had a kind of seal-of-quality protection, making what would maybe be considered the most refined games of the whole Bethesda catalogue.”

Eveillé revealed that Arkane’s reputation for developing refined titles “kind of saved the studio.” He also spoke about the departure of founder Raphael Colantionio and how studio director Dinga Bakaba took control. All of these actions contributed to the “future success of the studio.”

While Arkane Lyon hasn’t released any single-player titles since 2021’s Deathloop, its next major is Marvel’s Blade. While few details have been revealed, we know that it will feature a third-person camera – a departure from a studio known for making first-person games.

Since its original announcement, art director Sebastien Mitton has posted a few pieces of concept art for the upcoming game, confirming it will take place in Paris.

Arkane hasn’t yet announced the release date for Marvel’s Blade, but rumours from December 2023 indicate that it’s internally aiming for a 2027 release. If more development time is required, the release window could get pushed back further.

Back in May 2024, when Arkane Austin was shuttered due to the poor sales of Redfall, Arkane Lyon director Dinga Bikaba took to social media to discuss the closure. He also asked executives to not “throw us into gold fever gambits,” among other things while confirming that Arkane Lyon was safe.

For more details on Arkane Lyon’s previous works, check out our reviews of Deathloop and Dishonored 2.

]]> 609765 Marvel’s Blade, Deathloop Director Calls Microsoft’s Studio Closures “Absolutely Terrible” https://gamingbolt.com/marvels-blade-deathloop-director-calls-microsofts-studio-closures-absolutely-terrible Wed, 08 May 2024 09:24:29 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=586597 Arkane Lyon director Dinga Bikaba has taken to Twitter to condemn the closure of Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Roundhouse Studios and Alpha Dog Studios by Microsoft. Calling these events “absolutely terrible,” he implored gaming company executives to “make us proud when times are tough.”

“This is absolutely terrible. Permission to be human: to any executive reading this, a friendly reminder that video games are an entertainment/cultural industry, and your business as a corporation is to take care of your artists/entertainers and help them create value for you.

“Don’t throw us into gold fever gambits, don’t use us as strawmen for miscalculations/blind spots, don’t make our work environments Darwinist jungles. You say we make you proud when we make a good game. Make us proud when times are tough. We know you can, we saw it before. For now, great teams are sunsetting before our eyes again, and it’s a f*****g gut stab.”

While he assured Arkane Lyon was safe, Bakaba asked, “Please be tactful and discerning about all this, and respect affected folks’ voice and leave it room to be heard. It’s their story to tell, their feelings to express.” He also called out any talk of an “immersive sim curse,” stating, “Please, let’s talk about the *real* challenges instead of rehashing irrational anxieties of the past.”

Arkane Austin’s closure followed the controversial release of Redfall, a co-op shooter that strayed far from the studio’s history of immersive sims. It received mixed reviews, and sales were “minimal,” though Microsoft claimed there were no plans to shut the studio down. Though its last update was in November 2023, the development team were reportedly working on new updates, with its two new DLC characters planned for this Halloween before the closure.

Refunds will be available for those who purchased the Hero Pass or upgraded to the Bite Back Edition, so stay tuned for further updates. As for Arkane Lyon, its next project is Marvel’s Blade, which Bakaba is directing. It’s reportedly targeting a launch in 2027.

]]> 586597 Marvel’s Blade is Internally Expected to Launch in 2027 – Rumor https://gamingbolt.com/marvels-blade-is-internally-planned-to-launch-in-2027-rumor Mon, 25 Dec 2023 06:16:23 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=574792 Marvel’s Blade from Arkane Lyon is probably one of the more anticipated Marvel titles in the coming years, given the studio’s pedigree with Deathloop and Dishonored 2. While platforms and a release window haven’t been announced, fans might have to wait a while to get their hands on it.

According to Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb on the XboxEra Podcast, “Right now, internally, they are expecting that to be sold on store shelves and digitally in 2027. That is the year that they are aiming for that game.” That would place it around six years after the launch of Deathloop, which arrived in September 2021. However, as Grubb notes, that’s “2027 at the earliest.” Plans could change, especially since development has only just begun on the title.

An interesting point from XboxEra co-founder Nick Baker is how it could be a cross-gen game, potentially arriving on Xbox Series X and Microsoft’s new console. The latter is rumored to launch in 2026 and may not pursue the mid-gen refresh leaked earlier this year.

With Bethesda not commenting on Xbox exclusivity, it’s certainly possible. Stay tuned for updates, and in the meantime, check out some concept art for Marvel’s Blade.

]]> 574792 Marvel’s Blade Developer Reveals Slick New Concept Art https://gamingbolt.com/marvels-blade-developer-reveals-slick-new-concept-art Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:43:21 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=573803 The announcement of Marvel’s Blade at The Game Awards has been received with widespread excitement, not only because the property itself is such a beloved one, but also because the game is being developed by Arkane Lyon, the studio behind Dishonored 2 and Deathloop. And to add a little bit more spark to that aforementioned excitement, one of Marvel’s Blade’s developers has shared new concept art for the game.

Taking to Twitter, Sebastien Mitton – co-creative and art director at Arkane Lyon – shared three new pieces of concept art for Marvel’s Blade, showcasing the titular vampire-slash-vampire hunter in several locations all throughout Paris, which is where the game is set. One of the pieces shows him looking on at the city from the rooftop of a building, the other shows him hiding in the shadows in an alleyway, and the third shows vampires inside a Metro train, while Blade fights bats on the station outside. Check them out below.

There’s no word yet when Marvel’s Blade will launch. Bethesda has said the game “just entered development”, though it might have been in the works at least in some capacity since January 2022. Interestingly, Bethesda has, thus far, also declined to comment on whether it will be an Xbox console exclusive.

]]> 573803 Marvel’s Blade Has Seemingly Been in the Works Since January 2022 https://gamingbolt.com/marvels-blade-has-seemingly-been-in-the-works-since-january-2022 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 13:52:17 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=573627 Marvel’s Blade was among the best and biggest surprises at The Game Awards, but though there’s plenty of excitement surrounding the game, just how long is it going to be before we actually get to play it? Bethesda says it has “just begun development” at Dishonored and Deathloop studio Arkane Lyon, but it may actually have been in the works earlier than that.

That’s as per the LinkedIn profile of Dana Nightingale (via @IdleSloth84_ on Twitter), who is Marvel’s Blade’s campaign director. On her profile, she mentions that she’s the “director of the level design team and principle designer of the campaign on Marvel’s Blade“, and that she has been in that role for nearly two years, since January 2022.

Of course, there’s a good chance that that’s when the game entered pre-production – which is a stage of development that can last for quite a while, especially for new IP – and only just entered full production recently. Either way, it’s clearly going to be a while before the game releases.

Interestingly, there also isn’t clarity yet on the platforms Marvel’s Blade will release for. Read more on that through here.

marvels blade

]]> 573627 Marvel’s Blade Has “Just Begun Development” https://gamingbolt.com/marvels-blade-has-just-begun-development Mon, 11 Dec 2023 14:11:53 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=573413 Dishonored 2 and Deathloop studio Arkane Lyon took the stage at The Game Awards last week with what turned out to be one of the biggest and most surprising announcements of the event in the shape of Marvel’s Blade, but it seems like it’ll be a while before we see more of the game.

In a blog post accompanying the game’s announcement on the official Bethesda website, the company has confirmed that Arkane Lyon has “just begun development” on Marvel’s Blade, which means it’s probably going to be a few years before the game releases.

A few other brief details on the game that were confirmed at The Game Awards have also been reiterated in the blog post, like it being Arkane’s first third-person game, and being fully single player. Marvel’s Blade will tell an original story, and will be set in “a quarantined section of Paris in the middle of a supernatural emergency.”

Meanwhile, though you’d expect Marvel’s Blade to be an Xbox console exclusive, given the fact that it’s coming from a first party Microsoft-owned studio, Bethesda has actually declined to comment on whether that will be the case.

]]> 573413 Marvel’s Blade – Bethesda Declines to Comment on Xbox Exclusivity https://gamingbolt.com/marvels-blade-bethesda-declines-to-comment-on-xbox-exclusivity Mon, 11 Dec 2023 09:08:22 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=573372 One of the major surprises at The Game Awards recently was Arkane Lyon’s next big title. While many of us expected Dishonored 3 or Deathloop 2, it revealed Marvel’s Blade. The single-player action-adventure title is set in Paris and will be in third-person, a major shift for the studio.

However, Arkane Lyon falls under Bethesda Softworks, owned by Microsoft. The question then arises: Will it be exclusive to Xbox Series X/S? VG247 asked Bethesda to clarify (since the reveal trailer doesn’t list any platforms), but it refused to comment.

It’s not the first time an upcoming title from a Microsoft-owned studio had its exclusivity questioned. Obsidian Entertainment’s The Outer Worlds 2 was announced for Xbox Series X/S and PC at E3 2021, but Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty said it’s still undecided during the recent case with the FTC. The main difference is that it’s a sequel to a multi-platform franchise, while Marvel’s Blade is a new IP.

As always, time will tell, so stay tuned. Regarding console exclusives, Microsoft has Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 launching in 2024 after Towerborne and Ara: History Untold. Check out its latest gameplay trailer.

]]> 573372 Deathloop Was Developed Because Bethesda Didn’t Want a Dishonored 3 at the Time https://gamingbolt.com/deathloop-was-developed-because-bethesda-didnt-want-a-dishonored-3-at-the-time https://gamingbolt.com/deathloop-was-developed-because-bethesda-didnt-want-a-dishonored-3-at-the-time#respond Fri, 21 Apr 2023 01:32:22 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=550439 In an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun, Arkane founder Raphaël Colantonio has revealed that the development and release of Deathloop came about because publisher Bethesda wasn’t sure if it wanted another game in the Dishonored franchise.

Bethesda wanted to put Dishonored on pause, and according to Colantonio, Deathloop was originally intended to be a small project for Arkane to learn and keep busy until the chance to work on a bigger game came along.

“Bethesda wanted us to do something,” said Colantonio. “They didn’t quite know where we were going after Dishonored. ‘Do we want Dishonored 3? I don’t know, let’s make something simple and short before, and let’s see.’”

Colantonio also revealed that Deathloop‘s multiplayer features might have been a result of the studio wanting to learn how to develop and release multiplayer games.

“And then [Deathloop] became a big thing, over the years,” Colantonio continued. “That was the funny thing: ‘Nah, we don’t wanna do Dishonored 3, but if you can pitch us a small game, something that maybe has multiplayer so we can learn multiplayer, something that maybe has microtransactions, maybe something with a lot of recycling, like a roguelike.’”

The studio’s experience with Prey: Mooncrash also helped the studio in figuring out some of the roguelike aspects of Deathloop, and Arkane and Bethesda wanted to recycle assets and other parts of the game in development.

“Almost everybody in the world was into some sort of roguelike,” said Colantonio. “So it felt like, ‘Yeah, maybe it’s the way to go, you recycle gameplay, you take some of the elements of the world and remix content constantly.’”

Colantonio has since left Arkane, having left the studio around the time Deathloop was released. He currently heads indie studio WolfEye Studios, which developed Weird West.

Deathloop is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The game is also available through PC and Xbox Game Pass. For more details about the time-loop shooter, check out our review.

]]> https://gamingbolt.com/deathloop-was-developed-because-bethesda-didnt-want-a-dishonored-3-at-the-time/feed 0 550439 It Takes Two Wins the Game of the Year Race at the 2022 DICE Awards https://gamingbolt.com/it-takes-two-wins-the-game-of-the-year-race-at-the-2022-dice-awards https://gamingbolt.com/it-takes-two-wins-the-game-of-the-year-race-at-the-2022-dice-awards#respond Sat, 26 Feb 2022 00:37:49 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=509738 The DICE Awards were held on February 24, with the nominations being unveiled last month, where over 59 games were nominated across various categories. The winners, of course, have now also been unveiled.

Some key takeaway from the night include the Hazelight-developed co-op platformer It Takes Two bagging the Game of the Year award over the likes of Deathloop, Ratchet and Clank: A Rift Apart, Inscryption, and Returnal.

Apart from that, other winners included 343 Industry’s Halo Infinite bagging the Action Game of the Year and Online Game of the Year, along with Insomniac Games’ Ratchet and Clank: A Rift Apart bagging four awards: Outstanding Achievement in Animation, Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction, Outstanding Technical Achievement, and Family Game of the Year.

Additionally, the night also saw Xbox boss Phil Spencer receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award, and NetherRealm Studios’ Ed Boon getting inducted to the DICE Hall of Fame.

The full list of winners for DICE Awards 2022 can be read below (via GamesIndustry):

THE DICE AWARDS SHOW 2022 WINNERS

  • Game of the Year: It Takes Two (Hazelight)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Game Design: It Takes Two (Hazelight)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction: Deathloop (Arkane Studios)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Animation: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games)
  • Outstanding Technical Achievement: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games)
  • Family Game of the Year: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition: Returnal (Housemarque)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design: Returnal (Housemarque)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Story: Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Square Enix)
  • Adventure Game of the Year: Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Square Enix)
  • Action Game of the Year: Halo Infinite (343 Industries)
  • Online Game of the Year: Halo Infinite (343 Industries)
  • Fighting Game of the Year: Guilty Gear Strive (Arc System Works)
  • Racing Game of the Year: Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games)
  • Role-Playing Game of the Year: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker (Square Enix)
  • Sports Game of the Year: Mario Golf: Super Rush (Camelot/Nintendo)
  • Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year: Age of Empires IV (World’s Edge/Microsoft)
  • Immersive Reality Technical Achievement: Lone Echo II (Ready at Dawn)
  • Immersive Reality Game of the Year: Lone Echo II (Ready at Dawn)
  • Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game: Unpacking (Witch Beam)
  • Mobile Game of the Year: Pokémon Unite (TiMi Studio)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Character: Resident Evil Village – Lady Dimitrescu
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