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Xbox has reportedly greenlit the next game from Hellblade developer Ninja Theory.
That’s according to Windows Central, which also claims that there are no current plans to close the Cambridge, UK-based studio, which Microsoft acquired in 2018.
Ninja Theory, whose notable titles include Kung Fu Chaos, Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and DmC: Devil May Cry, is also working on an experimental game called Project Mara.
When it was announced in 2018, the title was described by recently departed studio co-founder Tameem Antoniades as “a real world and grounded representation of mental terror”.
The fate of Microsoft’s various first-party development teams was called into question in January when the company confirmed plans to lay off roughly 8% of the 22,000 people employed across Xbox, Bethesda and Activision Blizzard.
The announcement arrived several months after Microsoft completed a $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, in the process taking ownership of franchises including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo and Overwatch.
A message from Studio Head Dom Matthews ahead of our launch tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/IH98qP9evv
— Ninja Theory (@NinjaTheory) May 20, 2024
In a message sent to staff when the job cuts were revealed, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said the decision was taken after Microsoft and Activision’s leadership teams “set priorities, identified areas of overlap, and ensured that we’re all aligned on the best opportunities for growth”.
Earlier this month, Xbox announced that it was shutting four studios – Ghostwire Tokyo developer Tango Gameworks, Redfall studio Arkane Austin, Mighty Doom developer Alpha Dog and support studio Roundhouse Games.
Having revealed Hellblade 2 alongside the Xbox Series X console in 2019, Microsoft will release the game this Tuesday, May 21.
Available for Xbox Series X/S and PC, Hellblade 2 will be digital-only, cost $50, and will last as long as its predecessor, which took players about eight hours to complete.
In a message posted on X on Monday, Ninja Theory studio head Dom Matthews thanked players for their support during the sequel’s development.
Making games is “difficult”, he said, adding that he believes the studio has fulfilled its ambition of crafting a highly immersive experience that will leave players “thinking and feeling”.
