Announced tonight during The Game Awards, Arkane’s next game includes vampires, but it isn’t a Redfall sequel. Instead, the studio is making a Blade game that it says will be an “immersive third-person” adventure.
Arkane Lyon and Bethesda’s new Blade game stars Eric Brooks as the famous half-man, half-vampire who uses his abilities to hunt down vampires and protect the world from their evil nonsense. Coincidentally, this year is Blade’s 50th anniversary, with his debut in The Tomb of Dracula #10 hitting in July 1973.
Bethesda describes Marvel’s Blade as a “mature, single-player, third-person” game that will be set in Paris, France. In the trailer, we see a Paris that appears to be under lockdown, with citizens being ordered to remain indoors after the sun goes down. Blade, meanwhile, is in a barber shop getting his beard trimmed by someone who seems nervous to be working on the famous vampire hunter.
“[Blade is] torn between the warm society of the living and the rushing power of the undead,” says Bethesda in the description for the game’s trailer on YouTube.
“From his trench coat to his iconic sunglasses, Blade is a slick, stylish, and driven character,” said Sebastien Mitton, Co-Creative and Art Director, Arkane Lyon.
“This project is the perfect opportunity to push Arkane’s art style into an even more modern and bold territory. The essence of our work lives at the junction of impactful ideas and innovative know-how.”
Because this is a game from Xbox-owned Bethesda, it seems safe to assume this will be an Xbox and PC exclusive and will likely launch on Game Pass. Is this Xbox’s answer to PlayStation’s Spider-Man franchise? Perhaps. It’s also yet one more Marvel game to add to the growing pile of upcoming games based on iconic heroes from the comic books and films.
The announcement for Arkane’s Blade game didn’t come with a release date (or window), but the developers are asking players to be patient and let them “cook.” Considering how slick this trailer is, and how Arkane and Blade are a perfect match, I’m willing to wait a few years to play this next big Marvel game.
And we probably will have to wait, as Bethesda has confirmed the game has just started development.