Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is upon us. It’s a moment that has been overshadowed by the recent closure of multiple Xbox studios though, resulting in a lot of people, myself very much included, worrying that Ninja Theory could be facing a similar fate.
Which is why I’m very happy that Samuel Tolbert of Windows Central is reporting that Ninja Theory’s next game has already gotten the greenlight from Microsoft.
His article is in response to a tweet that Ninja Theory’s head Dom Matthews sent out which thanked fans for supporting the studio. While the tweet was clearly a heartfelt message, some people worried that it was a goodybe message from the team.
“Making video games is difficult. Much like Senua, we as a team have been guided by a conviction to achieve our quest: To make a game that sinks you deep into Senua’s world and to take you on a journey that leaves you thinking and feeling. I believe we have achieved our quest and I hope you’ll agree. I’m very proud of the game, very proud of our team and very proud of you, our fans, who have supported us on this magical journey.” he wrote.
According to Jez Corden, Ninja Theory is a bright future ahead of them. In his article, he writes that “we can confirm via our trusted sources that, in addition to Project Mara, Ninja Theory’s next game has already been greenlit. There are no plans whatsoever to close the studio any time soon.”
So, what could the new game that’s already been greenlit be? Well, the obvious answer would be Hellblade 3, assuming of course that Hellblade 2 doesn’t offer up a definitive end to Senua’s story when it launches.
According to one person with potential insights into Xbox, it is indeed Hellblade 3. That’s what Gaz, co-founder of gameondaily.com, believes. Speaking on X, he said that: “Hellblade 3 has already been green lit. Xbox gave Ninja Theory assurances already apparently after the Tango fiasco. Let’s see if they keep their word mind. But I’m not worried.”
It goes without saying that this should be taken with a pinch of salt. Gaz doesn’t have much of a reputation as a leaker of information, and is viewed as something of a console warrior who favours Xbox. However, he is also quite critical of Xbox as a whole and does seem to potentially have some sources within the company. I wouldn’t put much stock in his claims personally, but thought his claim was worth including.