Arkane Studios - 25th Anniversary

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An article about Arkane Studios' 25th anniversary:

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Dear Arkanites, dear gamers, dear fans,

As we celebrate 25 years of Arkane Studios, I can't help but reflect on the incredible journey that brought us here. Each step we've taken over the past quarter century (oh, boy!) has shaped who we are today, and they continue to inspire our work on our current project, Marvel's Blade.

It all started, of course, with Arx Fatalis, a bold project from Raphaël Colantonio and his tiny team that ignited our passion for creating immersive worlds and letting players loose in them to find amazing (and often surprising!) ways to overcome challenges and tell their own story.

Over the following years, we collaborated on a series of ambitious projects with other studios-some of which never saw release. These experiences shaped our vision and approach to creative and innovative game design. We combined magic and action in a physical, visceral way. We fused suspense with creative puzzles. We experimented with bold multiplayer dynamics. And we explored thought provoking emotional and narrative depth. Together, these projects proved that storytelling, gameplay and art can combine to create breathtaking magic - a core tenant that is now part of our studio DNA.

It is through this period of experimentation and growth that Dishonored and its sequels were born, offering a world of heroes and choices where every action had consequences. In Prey, we challenged the perception of reality in a mind-bending Sci-Fi thriller, while in Redfall, we took our storytelling into the modern world with science-based vampires and an experience built around camaraderie.

Finally, "DEATHLOOP" allowed us to explore time in a playful way, with aesthetics, music and gameplay that captivated gamers around the world: thank you, Dinga, for explaining to me at least a hundred times how loops work! Why don't you tell us all just one more time...

"And thank you for asking a hundred times! Excuse my lack of whiteboard, here's another loop for you, one that we will protect for years and years to come: (B) love that generates passion that generates ambition that requires hard work that requires fluid collaboration that requires an inclusive work environment that fosters creativity that attracts fantastic folks that create incredible games that generate (A). When you get to A you continue to B. Note that loops sometimes have sub-loops, for instance the ambition part has its own: (B) a legacy that generates values that converge in a recognizable style that creates confidence to challenge certainties which results in innovation that results in unique and memorable games that create joy and memories and become part of (A). We could also mention that love has a loop of its own which..."

Thanks, Dinga, I think we got it!

And now, as we head into the future with Marvel's Blade, I'm damn proud and excited to explore uncharted dimensions of our art.

Today we're not just celebrating our proud history, but also making a promise to our players that we'll continue to push the boundaries of innovation and creativity. Thank you to each and every Arkanite, here and abroad, past and present, for your passion, dedication and talent. Thank you to the players and fans for enjoying our games and helping push us to even greater heights. Together, with a mutual trust within the studio and with our players and fans, we've built something really cool and I know the best adventures are yet to come. Let's keep exploring, creating, and inspiring!

Sébastien Mitton
Art/Co-creative Director