Blade Development has 'just begun', State Bethesda

Bethesda revealed Arkane Lyon's Blade at The Game Awards 2023, and since followed with a statement that the game has 'just begun' development.

[Terry_B]

bs. Its in the work since around 2 years.

[PrinceOfAnger]

Says random person on a gaming site rather than the developer himself... who to believe?

[Terry_B]

Just use logic.

Do you believe a trailer like that was made in a few days? Do you believe all the contracts, intellectual property, license stuff with a company like Marvel is done in a few weeks?

The look of Blade?, The idea to set the game in Paris which means that he is going to have a fight with Dracula who will most likely be the main antagonist and that Quincey Harper will be in the game as well? That it is a third-person action game?

Looks like the game is in development since a lot of time already.

[PrinceOfAnger]

Making 1 min CGI trailer does not require 2 years, what they mean by " just begun" they mean the actual game content where you can do/see something in real time in the game engine

[Christopher]

***Making 1 min CGI trailer does not require 2 years***

Setting, character designs, etc. take a while since you have to sell those to Marvel and there are a lot of meetings to just get to the look and feel and understanding of where and what is happening. Heck, let alone the look of Blade takes months of work alone.

[Terry_B]

"Making 1 min CGI trailer does not require 2 years, what they mean by " just begun" they mean the actual game content where you can do/see something in real time in the game engine"

You clearly never worked in the video game / movie or music industry. ..mr random person ;)

[maniacmayhem]

@Terry

Developers have and could always hire a separate company to create the trailer. Creating a trailer doesn't mean the actual game is in development.

[Plague-Doctor27]

@Terry_B

The Perfect Dark trailer was made before they even knew what the game was even going to be

https://gamerant.com/perfec...

A trailer is proof of nothing. All the other things you said are preproduction, and may have even come from Marvel, we have no idea how involved they are in the story/setting etc

[Profchaos]

@Terry games are not just in development there's a pre development cycle that games go through before active development where those details are worked out active development can be extremely time consuming 5 years see s to be more commonly these days.

[DOMination-]

Just starting development now doesn't mean Arkane decided to make the game last week.

Usually there is a pre-production phase where the majority of the story is written, mechanics are worked on and technology used for the project is scoped out. The producer then works with the director and development heads to create a design document from which development is worked from. For a AAA game, this usually is a couple of years these days.

Another example, Elder Scrolls 6 has only just started development as well however it has been in pre-production since way back in 2018 or whenever they announced it.

It's common these days for the pre-production to be longer than the development and the term "development hell" is actually inaccurate. Look at Dreadwolf for a game that entered production as early as 2015 but due to lots of things beyond the scope of this post, didn't enter actual development until 18 months ago.

On another note, I feel like announcing this so early was likely a Marvel thing - we've seen it here with Blade and we saw it with Spider-Man 2 and Wolverine - both seemingly outliers in Sony's policy of announcing games these days. The last few movies haven't performed as well so I wonder if Disney/Marvel are making a big push with games. Just my own speculation though, could be completely wrong!

[Christopher]

I think they mean on overall level design, quest design, engine specifications just for it, etc. It's obviously been in development for a while. But they tend to mean with people making the actual game assets, animations, levels, etc.

Also, 'just begun' could also mean that they have a lot more to do and to show, not that they haven't done anything. Only they have a lot more to come.

[Terry_B]

^^ this. The whole paperwork, building the story, hiring people all that stuff is most likely a thing since around 2 years already. A big AAA Marvel game like this takes years these days and all the stuff that can be seen in the trailer is not done or thought out in a short time.

[VenomUK]

Blade in 2023 is where Hellblade II was in 2019.

[Seraphim]

@Terry_B - you basically just explained the planning/conception phase. Game was pitched, license approved, project was given green light to proceed at which point work on art, story, etc. are all done. That is not at part of development but rather part of pre-development. The process in which gets you to the actual development of a game.

[Obscure_Observer]

"bs. Its in the work since around 2 years."

Lol!

[Terry_B]

let me improve it.

"bs. It's in the work for at least 2 years."

..now collect more downvotes as usual :-)

[Einhander1972]

I don't know why people think that trailer indicates more than a month worth of work. I mean this is a team of artists just making a trailer it's not like they had to do any of the real work like level design combat programming or any "real" set pieces.

Heck with stock/pre-existing assets a very small team could make this in a month easy, heck they didn't even show the character itself in any great detail allowing them to hide any blemishes that would need to be cleaned up for an actual game.

Now i am not making a comment on the actual state of the game I am just commenting on the fact that a studio full of artists could easily bust out a 1 min trailer like this in less than a month.

[Terry_B]

Thats all true.

But there are other details. Like as said the look of the characters. The information that the game will take place in Paris. The info that it is a 3rd person action game. This all indicates that a team is working on the game since a while since its foundation is set already and all these details require a lot of work and thoughts behind them. Blade is going to be a really big game for the studio, probably for Disney and for Microsoft of course..everything behind it costs a ton of money and any kind of decisions like the mentioned ones are thought out..pleaded..thought about by other people and either used or thrown away. Especially that the game is set in Paris is quite an interesting decision since we usually seeing American settings in Marvel and Dc games. As a big fan of the old Blade movies and the comics as well I look forward to the game and hope they won't f*** it up.

[Einhander1972]

Chief, the location of a game and the fact that it's a third person game are decided before pencil is even put to paper on a story board, that's the kind of information you make as a pitch before development has even started.

This isn't a discussion of how excited you are, this is a discussion about how long it takes a team of artists to make a trailer...

[Terry_B]

@Einhander1972

Well, Perfect Dark and probably Fable too were/are in development hell. I just don't think MS would F up a big Marvel game. Disney / Marvel wouldn't allow an announcement like this if they were not sure about the development. These are professionals after all and not just xbox guys like Phil Spencer.

[Einhander1972]

I have every confidence that Microsoft can F up anything they touch.

You can think whatever you want, but I think that if you think this game has even started any kind of serious development especially after they are telling you it hasn't you're just setting yourself up for disappointment.

In fact I would actually bet you that Spider-Man 3 comes out before Blade.

[Obscure_Observer]

"In fact I would actually bet you that Spider-Man 3 comes out before Blade."

By recycling the same assets, engine and gameplay from previous Spider-Man games, makes it an easy task to complete.

Let´s see how long it takes for an actual game build from the ground up like Wolverine fairs in comparison to Blade.

[raWfodog]

If that were true, they would have announced this 2 years ago.

[Terry_B]

yeah..because games are getting announced as soon as a company plans to make them, right?

Not even indie devs are doing that.

[Einhander1972]

Terry_B

How many years ago did Microsoft announce avowed or fable or perfect dark or any of the other games they showed a trailer that still don't even have release dates 4 years later... Heck some of those games didn't even have a trailer only a title card and Microsoft still showed them.

I mean you're probably right that not even indies do that, but we're not talking about indies were talking about Microsoft and they would ONE HUNDRED PERCENT do that.

[Chevalier]

Weird my friend does CG for movies, owns a studio with his own workers, won awards for his work and he would tell you that it does NOT take 2 years to make a trailer. But what would he know? He's only worked on stuff for the NBA, did work with a worldwide group to make indie games, been to major studios for his work.

Also like some had pointed out Perfect Dark ring any bells? How about Everwild? Both games with old trailers with teams with no idea what the game elements are even.

https://www.videogameschron...

3 year old trailer for Everwild and both mentioned games being rebooted

[Terry_B]

I didnt say it took 2 years to make this trailer. I said the game is in development since at least 2 years.

Yeah maybe a silly misunderstanding. With development I meant the whole thing. The first pitch, the first character and story concepts, all the paperwork. While the bethesda official clearly meant the programming /game creating phase.

[Obscure_Observer]

I don't think you can tell the differences between comcepts and pre-development stages from actual developement.

Every game born as an idea made into project.

But a project won't made it into actuall developement stage until it got approved
and greenlit by the publisher.

But hey, lets just label the developers as liars for the heck of it.

I mean, why not?

[EvertonFC]

Tw*t

[PhillyDonJawn]

Maybe the concept art and business approvals but the actual game design, no.

[1Victor]

Now let’s see who’s exclusive Marvel game is better Wolverine or Blade both in the hack and slash genre.
Yes I know there’s going to be some obscured people that will say one is better than the other already.

[PrinceOfAnger]

Ninja Theory should make a Spawn game or Blade with Hellblade 2 graphics

[Obscure_Observer]

"Ninja Theory should make a Spawn game or Blade with Hellblade 2 graphics"

My God! A Spawn game from Ninja Theory would be absolutely fantastic!!!

Man...

Now that you mentioned it, I wonder... how amazing a Ninja Theory game featuring a hero/vigilante who suffer form dissociative identity disorder like the Moon knight would be.

Gonna reach them on social media and ask. *_*

[Crows90]

More like Capcom could do that. Ninja theory makes cinematic action. We need more action for big icons like that....kinda like devil may cry

[Zeref]

Moon Knight and Ninja Theory sounds like a great match

[CrashMania]

The concept of a blade game is cool, but it seems like it'll be 3-4+ years away? Why announce it so early?

[Terry_B]

Its december. The announcement of a Blade video game by a great studio will sell some x-box consoles.

Besdie that, most games by Microsoft Studios were announced 2-4 years before their release in the last years. Hellblade II as example back in 2019 already.

[Crows90]

Yet ..they claimed they were going to announce games closer to release ...Phil claimed that during one of his Phil speaks episodes.

[gold_drake]

announcements and trailers are not for us, but for potential sponsors. money.

[jznrpg]

Arkane (I know different studio) already had one bad vampire game it will be interesting to see if they make it 2.

[Abnor_Mal]

Honestly at first I thought it was some dlc for Redfall, trying to drum up players. I didn’t see when it said Marvel only the Bethesda title before it started, but when I saw Marvel Blade I was like okay, true.

Thankfully it’s not the same studio, if this is the Dishonored devs then this could have the makings of a great game following the same blueprint.

[PhillyDonJawn]

It kinda make me think Redfall was like a test product for Blade. When they was deciding the games direction (1st person or 3rd. Powers, etc) they decided 1 studio will go in the opposite direction and create a easier, cheaper product. While the other will make the main. I really wanna see how this plays.

[Elda]

Like I stated before, looking like a 2026 release. Possibly 2027.

[Zeref]

But Xbox dies in 2027 according to some people lol

[Einhander1972]

Yea, maybe that's why they don't want to confirm platforms, since xbox probably won't exist by the time this comes out.

[Zeref]

@Einhander

So are you willing to put money on that?

[Einhander1972]

Zeref

Microsoft Will Leave the Gaming Business If It Can’t Get 100+ Million Xbox Game Pass Users by 2027, Phil Spencer Claims
https://www.thefpsreview.co...

I'll wager Phil Spencer's honesty on it, you do think he's honest, right?

[Zeref]

@Einhander

So you believe they won't reach that target? Are you willing to put money on it?

[Einhander1972]

Zeref

100m Subscribers when apparently they can't even reach 30m and had to stop listing numbers AFTER the launch of Starfield.

There is no point is asking me if I would bet money since we obviously can't bet money, but I'll wager Phil Spencer's honor, that's worth about a penny.

[purple101]

b bb,b but, day one right?

instead of day one,

they should say "one day"

'one day', you see this game,

but not anytime soon, muahaha

[Elda]

LOL!! Exactly!

[kneon]

The waiting game has been the top Xbox game for ages

[PhillyDonJawn]

Duh games aren't made over night.

[purple101]

tell that to insomniac, 3 games in what 5 years.>> all above 8/10's. one, ratchet and clank, has visuals and cut scenes that Dreamworlds studios animation team are jealous of.

[PhillyDonJawn]

RnC had multiple years in development and SM2 reused assets it was basically a DLC. They freshened the combat and traversal and gave it a new story and called it a day.

[Crows90]

It does say it on the trailer in small print...maybe thats why no notifications of platforms...but still...not even an xbox logo showed up. Very bizarre!

[Profchaos]

Why announce it so early xbox seemingly love to tell people what's coming in 5 years.

Still it's a good thing to see blade get a lovingly made game Sony has sipdy and wolverine so good to see Xbox get something to

[DivineHand125]

If they can use UE5 and target 60FPS without the game being bloated with random quests, then I will be happy.

[Profchaos]

It seems obvious this will be exclusive given it's a Bethesda game under Microsoft Sony didn't share Spiderman and wolverine I wouldn't except ms to share Blade

[gold_drake]

WAT ??
UGH

[GhostScholar]

Blade in 2029 and then maybe in 2037 I can finally have a night crawler game! Life is good. I’ll only be 63 by then !

[MehmetAlperTR]

At the trailer: At the entrance, at the top of the Cross sign, there s a writing from Holy Quran, Surah Felaq.. 1. part... " Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn "

[LoveSpuds]

I am sure the game will be great, as a massive fan of Dishonoured I have every confidence in the dev.

Having said that though, I wasn't a big fan of the artstyle shown in this trailer, I feel like it doesn't quite fit with the blade universe, tonally. I would have preferred a more realistic, gritty artstyle personally.

Anyway, it's a long way off and I sm sure the game will turn out great.

[Chocoburger]

Another Microsoft game announced way too soon. Just like what Nintendo did with Metroid Prime 4.
Instead of announcing new games, show us in-depth videos of already announced games, and then, you know, finally release them in a polished state. Less promises for the future, and more here-and-now games to play.

[potatoseal]

.

[Demetrius]

Hopefully it turns out good there aren't many good vampire games at all neither tho so hopefully they take their time and put that work in, definitely been wanting to watch blade 1&2 lately

[343_Guilty_Spark]

All this great Xbox news and N4G down for 2 days lol

[DFresh]

I hope it's third person and not first person view.
You got one job Bethesda.
Don't screw it up.