Summary
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2is one of Xbox’s most highly-anticipated releases, despite fans’ long and arduous wait for its arrival. Originally announced at The Game Awards 2019,Hellblade 2has since offered fans infrequent glimpses of the epic sequel toHellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. The title has been subject to various rumors over the years, as the announcement of each major Xbox Showcase came with the hopes that fans would be updated onHellblade 2’sdevelopment.DuringSummer Game Fest 2023, developer Ninja Theory finally delivered a light at the end of the tunnel, as it was confirmed that the title will be released in 2024. Following years of updates and rumors, the confirmation ofSenua’s Saga: Hellblade2’s official release window has been a long time coming for fans.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2is set to continue the story of Senua, a female warrior of the Scottish Pict tribe who suffers from psychosis. Players were first introduced to the character in the timed PlayStation-exclusiveHellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. The game saw players experience a hellish pilgrimage through the eyes of Senua, as she attempted to save the soul of her dead lover, Dillon. In the game’s final moments, Senua invites the player to follow her once more, as there is another tale to tell.
RELATED:Hellblade 2 Needs Fewer Visual Puzzles and More Mind Games
Hellblade 2’s Announcement was a Major Event for Xbox Fans
The announcement ofSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2was a highly momentous occasion for Xbox fans. During The Game Awards 2019, Xbox boss Phil Spencer revealed Microsoft’s then-next-gen console, the Xbox Series X, promising unprecedented performance and graphical fidelity. To demonstrate the power of the Series X, Spencer revealedthe first confirmed next-gen Xbox project,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2. Fans were then treated to a short trailer, showcasing the title’s tone, setting, brief in-engine gameplay, and advanced facial capture technology.
In the years sinceHellblade 2’s announcement, fans have been given various glimpses at its development. 2021 saw Ninja Theory release screenshots, weather footage, and the title’s first gameplay trailer, seemingly initiating the official build-up to the title’s release. However, the time since has offered fans mostly silence, leavingHellblade 2fans in a strange position. With little release information coming from Xbox or Ninja Theory, fan rumors have swirled with the announcement of nearly every Xbox presentation, leading to disappointment each time one passed without a major update. Summer Game Fest 2023 broke the cycle by announcing an official, albeit wide, release window.
Hellblade 2’s Official Release Continues to Test Fans' Patience
While Ninja Theory has confirmed thatSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2will be released sometime in 2024, the announcement feels like the latest in a long line of updates requiring fans to be patient. In the modern era of gaming, telling fans that a game will be released any certain year feels like an attempt to curb players' frustrations. WithHellblade 2, this feels particularly applicable, as the title was introduced as the defining experience for a console that has already been available for over three years. By the time the title potentially sees release, that availability will potentially be approaching four years.
With 2024 fast approaching, Xbox and Ninja Theory should be proactive in delivering a more precise release window to fans. The confirmation of release within 2024 is momentous, relative to the extremely long wait thus far, but such a vague window does little to dissuade fans' frustrations.
Hellblade 2is among next year’s most anticipated releasesand continues to impress with each brief update. Whether it arrives in the opening months of 2024, or the next holiday season,Senua’s Sagafaces a ton of pressure to deliver an experience worthy of its development time. Until then, fans must await any and all updates regarding Ninja Theory’s upcoming dark fantasy epic.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
WHERE TO PLAY
From the makers of Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and DmC: Devil May Cry, comes a warrior’s brutal journey into myth and madness. Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover. Created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people who experience psychosis, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will pull you deep into Senua’s mind.
