Deathloop 2: Will There Be A Sequel?
When "Deathloop," Arkane Lyon's tale of two assassins caught in an endless cycle of murder, launched in September 2021, it both intrigued and confused players. Though billed as a first-person shooter, "Deathloop" flouts many design conventions in favor of a more absorptive and off-the-wall approach. Described by game director Dinga Bakaba as resembling "an inverted 'Cluedo,'" the title plucks elements from several genres (stealth, puzzle, action, roguelike, looter shooter, and asynchronous multiplayer to name a few), wrapping them up in the immersive sim package Arkane has built a reputation on. The result? A stylish, albeit somewhat niche, AAA experience.
Initially billing the entry as a new IP, Arkane came clean in 2022 with the reveal that "Deathloop" occupies a spot on the "Dishonored" timeline. Thanks to this connection, unanswered questions from the ending of "Deathloop," and what seems like a clear sequel setup added as part of the "Goldenloop" update, many have wondered whether the studio has only scratched the surface of what "Deathloop" has to offer. Shared universes have transformed into a bit of an industry trend, and Arkane has crashed the ongoing party. But does "Deathloop" have enough commercial appeal to merit a follow-up?
The wax and wane of immersive sims
Designed to liberate players from a strict and pre-determined progression track, immersive sims encourage creativity and exploration by employing tighter settings and learnable systems that react to player decisions. In titles like "Dishonored" and "Deathloop," users can tackle situations and problems from different angles, resulting in multiple potential solutions and playstyles.
Though immersive sims tend to do well with reviewers, even the biggest releases have struggled to hit the massive sales numbers enjoyed by other, more mainstream genres. They also tend to come with large development costs due to the amount of detail required to satisfy varied gameplay possibilities. As "Deus Ex" executive director Jean-François Dugas shared with PC Gamer, this philosophy can make immersive sims difficult to swallow for both players and publishers. "You need to realize and accept that you will build a ton of material that a good part of your audience will miss," said Dugas. "... there is a big effort required to convince your team and upper management that spending money on things that many players will not see is a good idea."
Much like other titles of its type, "Deathloop" seems to have struggled to find its footing. Christopher Dring of GamesIndustry.biz reported physical sales of "Deathloop" as the "lowest for an Arkane game so far." The title's digital numbers also appear less than promising. "Deathloop" peaked at about 20,000 concurrent players on Steam during its release month, experiencing a sharp drop in activity over the weeks that followed.
Arkane doubles down on immersive sims and the studio's legacy
While some may question the longevity and appeal of immersive sims, Arkane has maintained its commitment to the approach. In 2017, "Dishonored: Death of the Outsider" director Harvey Smith predicted to PC Gamer that immersive sims would maintain a place in the industry — even if they only reach a smaller pool of people. Whether they take the form of indie or AAA titles, he felt the genre possesses significant potential. In his mind, these types of games help players "feel human," though he also questioned whether most individuals want to dive into a game that challenges them or explores darker subject matters.
"Deathloop" director Dinga Bakaba shared that hitting sales milestones doesn't occupy a prominent position in Arkane's development process. The biggest target? Impact. "Apathy is the enemy of what we do," Bakaba told IGN in the lead-up to the "Deathloop" launch. "This is not fast food. This is cuisine. So maybe you don't like the taste, but at least there is this taste. It has a personality." He also stated that publisher Bethesda supports this strategy, encouraging the studio to "Do Arkane stuff." He further felt that the addition of Arkane titles to Xbox Game Pass thanks to Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media could bolster their reach.
Did Colt's voice actor confirm Deathloop 2?
While Arkane and publisher Bethesda have yet to announce a "Deathloop" sequel, Jason Kelley, the voice behind protagonist Colt, may have let the cat out of the bag during a December 2022 interview. Speaking to Streamily.com regarding the internal code names for "Deathloop" used by developers, he might have been a bit too candid. "I can't say them because they're still sometimes hiring us under the code names," Kelley commented. "Did I just say something that I shouldn't have said?"
A response from Julianna's voice actor, Ozioma Akagha, only added fuel to the fire. "They don't tell me anything because I don't know how to shut up," said Ozioma. While innocent enough, her phrasing seems to confirm that Arkane has a "Deathloop"-related project in the works that it wants to keep secret. Of course, this doesn't mean the project will take the form of a follow-up. As evidenced by expansions such as "Prey: Mooncrash" and "Dishonored: Death of the Outsider," Arkane has a history of supporting its games through DLC.