Summary
The reveal ofMarvel’s Bladeat the Game Awards was an unexpected but welcome surprise for Marvel and Arkane fans alike, as the developer behind titles likeDishonored,Prey,Deathloop, and most recentlyRedfallunveiled their upcoming project to the excitement of many fans who were not expecting a licensed game to be their next title. The cinematic trailer for the game didn’t reveal much about its gameplay but teased enough to get fans of the hero hyped. However, one major advantageMarvel’s Bladealready has going for it is the perfect release date, which could give the game a major boost in attention.
Although the trailer was brief, it gave fans a look at the tone and signature styleArkane Studiosbrings to its games, along with how that style will influenceMarvel’s Blade. Additional comments from the developers confirmed thatMarvel’s Bladewill be a single-player, third-person game set in Paris that sees the titular daywalker battling vampires in a quarantined version of the city. While it seems like the game’s release is still a ways off, targeting a November 2025 release window would likely be ideal since it would coincide with the release of the MCU’sBladefilm, set to hit theaters that same month.
Arkane Has the Perfect Release Window of November 2025 for Marvel’s Blade
Marvel’s Blade Could Tie Into the MCU Movie
Depending on whetherMarvel’s Bladetargets a 2025 release, the year could end up being huge forBladefans given there is now a game and a film starring the hero in the works. While theMCUBladefilmhas a release date slated for June 21, 2025, controversy around the movie’s script and the production delays caused by the WGA writers' strike could end up pushing its release date further back. However, it would be a huge missed opportunity for Marvel not to coordinate the release of Arkane’s upcoming game with the release of theBladefilm.
Although it’s unlikely that the two games would directly tie into each other story-wise, given that Arkane seems to be putting its own unique twist on the character, there is a lot of potential for references between the two pieces of media if they are released concurrently.Spider-Manfans saw both a film and game release in 2023, those being Sony’sSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verseand Insomniac’sSpider-Man 2, and there were some clear references to the film inSpider-Man 2via the Spider-Bot side quest.Marvel’s Bladecould do something similar with the MCU film if the two time their release dates correctly.
Hype from the Movie Could Give Marvel’s Blade More Attention
Despite its reveal drawing a lot of attention from fans at the Game Awards,Marvel’s Bladeis going to face an uphill when it does release after thedisappointment of Arkane’s latest titleRedfall. As another title that centered on vampire hunting,Redfallfell short of player expectations due to its live-service elements and underwhelming co-op gameplay that was a far cry from the single-player experience players were hoping for from Arkane.Marvel’s Bladealready seems to be in a better position thanRedfallgiven its single-player gameplay, but an extra boost of attention from a release alongside the movie could help it as well.
There could be some stiff competition forMarvel’s Bladein 2025 as well, with recentleaks suggesting Insomniac’sWolverinegame is also targeting a release that year. While Marvel fans will have two titles to look forward to, others might be less receptive to multiple superhero games being released so close to each other. However, Arkane could get a leg up on Insomniac ifMarvel’s Bladereleases in tandem with the movie while the character is still at the forefront of discussion.
