The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield developer Bethesda is collaborating with fellow ZeniMax subsidiary Arkane Lyon (Death Loop) on an upcoming video game that will star Blade, a half-human/half-vampire superhero from Marvel Comics.
The project was unveiled at last night's Game Awards and was something that no one had on their bingo card. Check out the debut trailer below.
The game will be a single-player action title with a narrative focus, told from the third-person camera perspective. The game will be an original narrative rather than take inspriation from any specific Marvel Comics plot. The game's "likely" Mature rating is confirmed by the teaser trailer.
Gamers will recall that Microsoft spent $7.5 billion to acquire Bethesda Softworks back in 2021 and the studio has already released several Xbox exclusives, including Hi-Fi Rush, Redfall, and Starfield. Upcoming titles The Elder Scrolls VI, Fallout 5 and an Untitled Indiana Jones game are all expected to be Xbox exclusives, as well.
Naturally, owners of PlayStation consoles are concerned that Blade will follow suit. However, we'll caution that nothing has been confirmed regarding exclusivity.
Nevertheless, the project's announcement was a big shock to the audience and those watching online. You can check out the audience's reaction below.
"In honor of Blade’s 50th anniversary, we have found the perfect match for the Daywalker in Arkane Lyon, a studio of uncompromising artists who continually push the boundaries of game design and innovation,” said Bill Rosemann, VP and Creative Director of Marvel Games via Press Release.
“In addition to their award-winning talent, it’s their personal passion and bold vision for our half-human, half-vampire iconoclast that makes this collaboration a perfect fit.”
In that same press release, Dinga Bakaba, Game Director at Arkane Lyon added, "As a kid of mixed origins, I felt a special connection to Blade – a hero with a dual heritage himself. The opportunity to put our spin on this character is a dream of mine and a challenge that our team embraces with a passion. We couldn’t be happier to put players in Blade’s boots, as he becomes the champion of my hometown of Paris, one stake at a time."
Sebastien Mitton, Co-Creative and Art Director, Arkane Lyon also chimed in, "From his trench coat to his iconic sunglasses, Blade is a slick, stylish, and driven character. 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."
About Marvel's Blade
In Marvel’s Blade, Eric Brooks is the legendary Daywalker, half-man, half-vampire torn between the warm society of the living and the rushing power of the undead. From Bethesda and Arkane Lyon, the studio that brought you Dishonored and “DEATHLOOP”, Marvel’s Blade is a mature, single-player, third-person game set in the heart of Paris, now in development in collaboration with Marvel Games.
Marvel’s Blade game will take players to a quarantined section of Paris in the middle of a supernatural emergency. Vampires have emerged, terrorizing the city of lights and forcing Parisians to shelter inside their homes at night to wait for sunrise.