Hellblade 2 may have just been released, but Ninja Theory isn't done yet. It seems that the studio behind one of the best games of the year (so far) has no time to rest on its laurels and is going to embark on an exciting new project. It's Windows Central that tells us that Microsoft has just given the studio the green light to make a new game.
This one joins Project Mara, a psychological horror game previously announced, a closed-door game that takes place in a luxurious apartment. For the moment, nothing is known about about this mysterious opus, which could just as easily be Hellblade 3, a spin-off, or a whole new franchise. But we can't help but imagine that it will be a dark title in any case, in the DNA of what Ninja Theory has offered us so far.
No layoffs?
The creation of a new project is also a sign of hope in the midst of the tumult that is shaking the Xbox community. Two weeks ago, Microsoft announced the layoff of many employees, the closure of certain studios and the global restructuring of subsidiaries. In total, 4 studios are disappearing from the radar, but most of them belong to the Bethesda group. Fortunately, Ninja Theory does not seem at all affected by the situation.
This is also what Windows Central confirms. According to journalists, there are no plans to close the Cambridge studio in the United Kingdom. Xbox boss Phil Spencer indicated that these cuts are due to a video game market that is struggling to grow despite rising development costs. The businessman and other Xbox executives are also reportedly under pressure to make cuts following the company's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, maker of Call of Duty, Warcraft, Overwatch, Crash Bandicoot,and more.
With the merger of the entities being of an almost unprecedented scale, it is clear that a huge amount of housecleaning had to be done internally, and that the company now wants to try to make such an investment profitable. But no one could have expected 1,900 employees to leave in the coming weeks.
In response to the closures, Xbox president Sarah Bond insisted that the moves were aimed at ensuring the long-term health of the Xbox business during this "period of transition." While we wait for the bad news to settle down, Microsoft is planning to give us a big show on June 9. Its summer showcase will be dedicated to Xbox, Bethesda, and especially Activision Blizzard games, with a livestream dedicated to what appears to be the upcoming Call of Duty Black Ops 6.
0 Comments