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Hellblade 2, the long-awaited sequel and continuation of Senua’s saga and also one of Xbox’s biggest releases of the year, is now two weeks away from hitting the shelves. It’s a bet you didn’t know of this, which is somewhat justified too, given how badly Xbox has fumbled the bag that is its brand name in the past few days.
As it stands, Xbox is probably too busy curbing the flames of its recent controversial decision to shutter four major studios, and fans now worry that it may have thrown Ninja Theory and the ambitious sequel to the wayside.
Hellblade 2 Has Been Neglected for Far Too Long by Xbox And Microsoft
WhenSenua’s Sacrificewas released, it was a revelation—in both visuals and sound, the game reinvigorated belief in motion capture technology and showcased the power of 3D audio. Not only that, but the game’s minimalist storytelling that delved into mental health, loss, and personal growth shared with us an evolution of prestige storytelling that video games have cultivated sinceThe Last of Us.
Where is the Hellblade 2 marketing? If you’ve seen it let me know.
So, given the previous track record, it’s safe to say that people were tremendously excited whenHellblade 2was announced right alongside the release of Xbox Series consoles. As fate would have it, however,Hellblade 2would cop one delay after another, releasing only now in 2024, when the hype surrounding it has simmered down and people have forgotten about it.
Hellblade 1 vs 2 Has Some Major Differences You Need to Know Before May 21
Now, nobody likes an unfinished video game, so it’s fine if Ninja Theory takes its sweet time to develop the game.What isn’t fine, however, is how quiet Xbox has been about the game, giving it zero marketing push and almost shadow-dropping it on its platforms.
Ninja Theory seeing Tango Gameworks get shut down and realizing Hellblade 2 releases in a couple of weeks with 0 marketingpic.twitter.com/dYOq2thvvv
Xbox and Microsoft, for what they’ve recently done, still aren’t allowed to catch a break, it seems, with fans showing both anger towards Xbox and worry over Ninja Theory andHellblade 2:
💠PlayStation funding & marketing their 2nd Party new IP- Stellar BladeV/S🪀Xbox marketing their established 1st Party Exclusive- Hellblade 2No wonder the PlayStation fanbase is Mega huge & a global phenomenon👏pic.twitter.com/j33En5W3oI
If you think this is bad, though, wait till you see what Xbox has to say aboutHellblade 2‘s marketing.
According to Xbox, Hellblade 2 Is Getting Marketed Ahead of Its Launch
According to Aaron Greenberg, a marketing executive over at Xbox,Hellblade 2is receiving its due marketing, with a global paid media campaign that’s been underway since May 8.
“Imagine being Ninja Theory today”: Fans Turn to Hellblade 2 Devs in Worry that they’re the Next Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks
Just for comparison’s sake,Stellar Blade, a game that wasn’t even Sony’s biggest of the year, received a 2-month-long promotional campaign alongside an incredible demo of the game.
Our global paid media campaign started yesterday across YouTube, HBO/Max, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit (In-feed promoted posts), Search, and Samsung. Our special Iceland creator event is happening now including hands on with the game. Will keep folks posted as more drops like…pic.twitter.com/6CjJHauz0z
It’s difficult to see Aaron’s post without cynicism—even a simple post such as this feels like a panicked reaction to prevent further controversy. But more importantly, the fact that Xbox is giving only 2 weeks to promoteHellblade 2, their biggest title of the year, speaks volumes about how sad the state of affairs is.
One can only hope that the fate that befell Arkane Autin and Tango Gameworks does not arrive for Ninja Theory. That being said, what do you think of Xbox’s strategy withHellblade 2? Do you think it can reignite much of its fan excitement before its release on May 21st? Let us know in the comments below.
Akshit Dangi
Writer - Gaming
Articles Published :266
Akshit is a supposed human being and gaming writer who lurks in different corners of the internet in search of fascinating rabbit holes. Outside of that, though, you’ll most likely find him staring at a piece of art for days or completing another playthrough of Silent Hill.
