PlayStation owners have long rubbed it in Xbox owners' faces that Insomniac's Spider-Man games are PlayStation exclusives. So with the announcement that Bethesda was working on a Blade game, Xbox owners have been returning the favor.
However, this has not been proven; it is only presumed simply because Microsoft paid $7.5 billion to acquire Bethesda Softworks in 2021. But no one knows how long the Blade game has been in development or what release dates and agreements have been reached with Marvel Games prior to Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda.
A representative from Marvel's parent company, Disney, recently refused to clarify if Blade will be an Xbox exclusive, opting to imply that the choice was in the hands of Bethesda.
At this point, neither Bethesda nor Arkane Studios have spoken on the subject, despite the fact that they must be aware that this is the most pressing question surrounding the game following the release of the first teaser trailer.
It's also possible that the Blade game is so early in development that it will miss the current platform generation, which could explain why the teaser trailer makes no mention of consoles or console logos.
"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.