Bethesda Game Studios and Arkane Studios Lyon’s upcoming action game, Marvel’s Blade, has been in development since January, 2022.
According to the Linkedin profile of Dana Nightingale (via), Campaign Director on Marvel’s Blade at Arkane Studios Lyon, the game’s development began early last year in January, 2022. Nightingale is in charge of
Not a whole lot is known about Marvel’s Blade outside of the fact that it is a third-person action game. The camera perspective is a first for Arkane Studios Lyon, as it has primarily worked on first-person action titles in the past, including Dishonored and Deathloop.
Previously, Aaron Greenberg, Vice President of Xbox Games Marketing at Microsoft, had updated his Twitter/X profile picture (via) with promotional artwork for Marvel’s Blade, hinting at potential Xbox exclusivity for the title. The image featured the protagonist, Blade, wearing sunglasses with the Xbox logo drawn on them. Greenberg later reverted to his original photo without providing any reasons behind the change. Arkane Lyon, the game’s developer, is part of Microsoft’s gaming division.
One factor to consider is Marvel’s role in this equation. The nature of the arrangement between Marvel and Microsoft will determine whether Marvel’s Blade becomes an Xbox console exclusive. Greenberg’s temporary use of the Xbox-branded image may imply ongoing negotiations for Xbox exclusivity. The actual platform for the game’s release remains unknown after it was announced at The Game Awards 2023.
For those unfamiliar with the character, Blade, also known as Eric Cross Brooks, is a fictional character in Marvel Comics. Created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, Blade initially appeared as a supporting character in The Tomb of Dracula #10 (July, 1973) before becoming the central figure in his own storylines. Blade is dedicated to eliminating vampires from the world, utilizing his unique physiology as an effective vampire hunter.
