Summary
- The hype surrounding Marvel's Blade is already palpable due to the combination of a great developer and a cult-classic hero.
- Given the current state of the superhero video game genre and the pressure on developers, Arkane should be given ample time to ensure the full realization of Blade's potential, especially since it is unlike anything the studio has done before.
- Additionally, a "wait and see" approach can help Marvel's Blade, as Arkane can watch how fans respond to the MCU's take on the character. The studio can alter its version of Blade to be exactly what fans want, borrowing what worked from the film and dropping what did not.
Possibly the biggest surprise of last year's Game Awards, and maybe the most welcome one, Arkane Studios is currently working on a Blade game. An original take on Marvel's underrated vampire-slaying antihero, Marvel's Blade will drop the Daywalker in Paris, seemingly in the middle of an undead infestation. A bit of a departure from Arkane's previous works, Blade is set to be a third-person action-adventure game, a genre that superhero video games know all too well.
Though fans have only been given a brief minute-and-a-half teaser trailer and just a handful of concept art images, the hype surrounding Marvel's Blade is already surprisingly palpable. With a great developer at the helm, a cult-classic comic book hero in the spotlight, and a whole lot of potential, there are more than enough reasons to be excited for Marvel's Blade, though it might be a good thing if fans need to wait a little while to see it in action.
Marvel's Blade Should Take Its Time
Arkane Should Take All The Time It Needs for Blade
The last few years have been a bit of a whirlwind for the superhero video game landscape, with the industry whiplashing fans between some truly excellent superhero titles, and some really disappointing ones. For every Marvel's Spider-Man, a Marvel's Avengers was waiting just around the corner, and that's continued right up until now, with Marvel's Spider-Man 2 earning critical acclaim at the end of last year only to be followed up by Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's dismal reception earlier this month.
The superhero video game genre is all over the place right now, and it's more important than ever for Arkane to be allowed to take its time. Video games are harder to make than ever before, and that's become increasingly true for the superhero genre, with each critically acclaimed title raising the bar, and in turn, raising the amount of pressure on developers. Naturally, the amount of development time needed for other games to live up to expectations should increase.
Marvel's Blade has a whole lot of potential, and Arkane should be given as much time as possible to ensure that all of it is realized. While Arkane is an incredibly talented studio, this project is unlike anything it's done before, and there's presumably a lot more pressure going into a high-profile, licensed game than there is with a game based on an original concept created by the studio itself.
Arkane Can Wait and Adjust Following Blade's MCU Debut
But there's one more major reason why Arkane should be given as much time as possible when it comes to Marvel's Blade, and that's the upcoming Blade movie. Announced all the way back in 2019 after months of rumors and speculation, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to get its very own Blade film quite soon, though things are a little uncertain right now. A revolving door of writers and directors and major script issues has caused the MCU's Blade movie to be delayed countless times, so much so that its main star, Mahershala Ali, almost left the project entirely.
Currently, Blade has a tentative release date of November 7, 2025, though many industry experts and fans are extremely skeptical about it making that date. But regardless of its eventual release date or its reception, Arkane can use the MCU's Blade movie to its advantage. Though it doesn't have a release date right now, it's recently been rumored that Marvel's Blade targeting a release window of 2027, which means that it'll have plenty of time to observe the general reaction to the MCU's Blade movie. From there, Arkane can determine what audiences liked about the MCU's portrayal of Blade, and what they weren't so keen on, and adjust its own version of the character accordingly.
- Developer(s)
- Arkane Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
- Engine
- Void Engine
- Franchise
- Marvel
Marvel's Blade is in development at Arkane Lyon, which developed Deathloop and Dishonored. It is a mature single-player third-person adventure game set in Paris, where players take on the role of the titular and beloved comic book hero.
