How Dishonored 2 'Saved' Arkane

Summary

Dishonored 2 is said to have 'saved' Arkane Studios.
The game had a big budget and relatively low sales, but its quality was impressive.
Arkane's commitment to quality led to ongoing success under Bethesda and new projects.

Despite not selling as well as some other Bethesda titles, Dishonored 2 may have saved Arkane Studios, according to a former designer for the company. The sequel to 2012's stealth action RPG Dishonored is one of the most highly praised games of its time. Ultimately, though, Dishonored 2 made a big enough impression on players to make up for its less-than-stellar financial performance.

Today, people largely remember Arkane's fantasy assassin series fondly. While other Bethesda titles like the Elder Scrolls series may be more prominent, Dishonored is considered one of the best stealth franchises for new and experienced fans of the genre alike. However, Bethesda was not always confident in the games or the team behind them.

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By John Bonelli

In an interview with PC Gamer, former Arkane designer Julien Eveillé claimed Dishonored 2 saved the studio despite underwhelming sales. According to Eveillé, the game cost more than Skyrim to make but sold significantly less, leading Bethesda to question its relationship with Arkane. Still, Dishonored 2 ended up being what Eveillé called one of "the most refined games of the whole Bethesda catalog," and that level of quality was enough to preserve the ongoing partnership between the two companies. Considering how Bethesda games have a reputation for bugs, it's understandable how a more polished title would be a boon for the publisher, even if it didn't get quite as popular as other properties.

Dishonored 2's Quality Saved Arkane Despite High Costs and Low Sales

That quality guarantee seemed to have worked. Nine years after the release of Dishonored 2, Arkane is still putting out games for Bethesda. The studio released Deathloop in 2021 and has been working on Marvel's Blade since 2022, now eyeing a potential 2027 release. Its work has yet to reach the kind of mainstream popularity that Skyrim has enjoyed, but it seems its commitment to quality and focus on its own style has paid off in terms of its ongoing success under Bethesda.

Not all subsidiaries have been quite so lucky. Xbox shut down Arkane Austin, among a handful of other Bethesda studios, in 2024. While some of the companies in that cull — notably, Tango Gameworks — ultimately survived, Arkane's Austin-based team has officially ended, although Judas's Ken Levine has expressed interest in hiring ex-Arkane Austin devs. In that case, the company's reputation for quality may end up helping its former employees beyond their tenure at Bethesda.

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 89%

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Released: November 11, 2016
ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
Developer(s): Arkane Studios
Publisher(s): Bethesda
Engine: Void
Franchise: Dishonored