Summary
Tameem Antoniades, a co-founder of Xbox’s Ninja Theory studio and writer and director of the imminentSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, has left the developer. As the first ever Xbox Series X game to be revealed,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2was announced alongside the unveiling of the Series X at the 2019 Game Awards and is the direct sequel of 2017’s hit cinematic adventure game,Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.
After several more gameplay showings at showcases and events over the past couple of years,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2’s latest appearance at Xbox’s most recent Developer Direct in January finally gave the long awaited game its May 21 release date. The eight-minute Developer Direct deep dive also gave eager fans yet another glimpse ofHellblade 2’s cinematically brutal combatand its top-of-class audio design. Next toAvowedandIndiana Jones and the Great Circle,Hellblade 2is set to be one of Xbox’s biggest first party exclusive games coming this year.
Just a month and a half before the release ofSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2,Xbox has confirmedthat Ninja Theory’s co-founder and Chief Creative Director Tameem Antoniades has made his departure from the studio. Exactly when he left is unknown, but over his years with Ninja Theory, Antoniades was known for games likeEnslaved: Odyssey to the West, Heavenly Sword, DmC: Devil May Cry, and, of course,Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. In his absence,Hellblade 2is being led to the finish line by Visual Effects Director Mark Slater-Tunstill, Environment Art Director Dan Attwell, and Audio Director David Garcia.
Co-Founder and Chief Creative Director Tameem Antoniades Has Left Ninja Theory
Whether Tameem Antoniades goes on to join another acclaimed studio in the future or start a development studio of his very own is unknown. If one thing is certain, it’s that he left behind a state-of-the-art motion capture stage at Ninja Theory, and that attempting to create a new gameas cinematically rich asHellblade 2without it would be no easy task. As for the future of Ninja Theory, with Atwell, Slater-Tunstill, and Garcia taking overHellblade 2, perhaps the trio may look to take the lead on the studio’s next venture, whether a thirdHellbladeinstallment or an entirely new IP.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2is finally set to release on May 21, and it’ll be Xbox’s first major exclusive title of the year, withAvowedandIndiana Jones and the Great Circleset to followup later in 2024. Judging by what’s been shown over the years since its 2019 unveiling,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2is surely shaping up to be a visual feast for fans of cinematic action adventure games.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
WHERE TO PLAY
The sequel to the award winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Senua returns in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland. Intent on saving those who have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny, Senua faces a battle of overcoming the darkness within and without.A crafted experience of cinematic immersion:Sink deep into Senua’s world and story, with beautifully realized visuals and encapsulating sound.Senua’s unique perspective:Experience the world through Senua’s eyes and ears, as a Celtic warrior who experiences psychosis.A journey into Viking Iceland:An epic journey across 10th century Iceland, recreated from real locations in stunning detail.Every fight tells a story:Brutal and visceral combat as Senua battles for survival.
