It’s official: Xbox finally has its own Marvel superhero! Half-human, half-vampire, 100% badass. Oh, that’s right, a Marvel’s Blade game has been announced for Xbox, and Arkane Studios is developing it.
Marvel’s Blade Game Announcement Trailer:
In Marvel’s Blade, Eric Brooks is the legendary Daywalker, half-man, half-vampire torn between the warm society of the living and the rushing power of the undead. From Bethesda and Arkane Lyon, the studio that brought you Dishonored and “DEATHLOOP”, Marvel’s Blade is a mature, single-player, third-person game set in the heart of Paris, now in development in collaboration with Marvel Games.
I didn’t see this announcement coming, as I assume a lot of people as well.
The game will be led by Arkane Studios (Lyon), the developers behind the beloved Dishonored franchise and Death Loop. Not to get them confused with Red Fall, which Arkane Austin developed. Though they share a similar name, both studios are located in different parts of the world, with an entirely different team.
Blade was created by writers Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, and saw his first appearance in 1973 as a supporting character in Marvel Comics’ The Tomb of Dracula #10. His solo story came the following year in Vampire Tales #8. Since then, he has grown in popularity, appearing in several standalone comics, cartoons, and even live-action movies, as played by Wesley Snipes. Marvel is currently in production of a new live-action, which sees Mahershala Ali play the Daywalker.
More About The Character (via Marvel)
There are many men and women in the world who hunt vampires, but few strike as much fear into bloodsucking hearts as they do stakes. Blade is more than just a slayer of the undead, but a boogeyman’s boogeyman, the thing that makes ghouls and monsters lose sleep.
Born from a mother ravaged by vampirism and gifted super human abilities by a bite from Morbius, the Living Vampire, Blade is the Daywalker—a skilled martial artist who possesses most vampire strengths and none of their weaknesses. His life is the tireless pursuit of eradicating the world of the beasts who seek to destroy innocent life.
Blade has no release date, and will release for PC, and exclusively on Xbox for consoles.
Update: More info from the official press release:
Arkane Lyon has just begun development on the game which will feature an original story with the studio’s signature immersive gameplay and world-class narrative.
“As a kid of mixed origins, I felt a special connection to Blade – a hero with a dual heritage himself,” said Dinga Bakaba, Game Director, Arkane Lyon. “The opportunity to put our spin on this character is a dream of mine and a challenge that our team embraces with a passion. We couldn’t be happier to put players in Blade’s boots, as he becomes the champion of my hometown of Paris, one stake at a time.”
Marvel’s Blade game will take players to a quarantined section of Paris in the middle of a supernatural emergency. Vampires have emerged, terrorizing the city of lights and forcing Parisians to shelter inside their homes at night to wait for sunrise.
“From his trench coat to his iconic sunglasses, Blade is a slick, stylish, and driven character,” said Sebastien Mitton, Co-Creative and Art Director, Arkane Lyon. “This project is the perfect opportunity to push Arkane’s art style into an even more modern and bold territory. The essence of our work lives at the junction of impactful ideas and innovative know-how.”
Once we know more about it, we’ll let our readers know.