
Developer Ninja Theory has finally told us all about its plans for Hellblade 2 - including that much-welcome release date of May 21st. In the wake of today's Xbox Developer Direct showing, the team has also confirmed that the game will cost just $50 on Xbox Series X|S and PC - launching as a digital-only title this May.
Yep, Hellblade 2 won't be available on disc — at least at launch — which is seemingly allowing some wiggle room in regards to its pricing. Alan Wake 2 went down a similar route late last year, where publisher Epic also opted against a physical launch.
However, it sounds like the game's overall length is also a factor when it comes to pricing. The team says that Hellblade 2 is "similar in length to the first Hellblade", and that the sequel will be "sold at a lower price to reflect the shorter length of our story". Even so, you can expect the same endeavour from Ninja Theory:
"In Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, our approach is the same. Although we are no longer an independent studio, our creative spirit has in fact been emboldened by our joining of Xbox Game Studios, and in this new chapter of Senua’s life we have been able to push our production values way beyond what we were able to achieve previously.
So, my message to players is that if you loved Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, or if you enjoy narrative-led experiences of cinematic immersion, we are building Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II for you."
Of course, despite all of this the game will still launch on Xbox Game Pass on day one - now locked in for May 21st, 2024.
What do you make of all this? Discuss these launch plans down in the comments section below.
Comments 46
No buy for me then
I will make sure to have my gamepass sub active for this. Seems like a red flag that it is a "budget" title. I was hoping it was going to be the big leap forward that the long dev cycle suggested.
I guess the only thing left is to play it and see for myself.
Can't wait for this🥳
Stinks for sure. But I'll play on GP anyway.
They said in the direct it was a short game. So no surprises that it is priced as such.
@BacklogBrad "I was hoping it was going to be the big leap forward that the long dev cycle suggested."
This is why you shouldn't base a games quality off of how long it was in development for. I'm pretty sure the only reason it was in development for so long was cause of UE5 (this is only the second year the engine official been on the market in terms of game releases) and the fact they were developing for next (current) gen console.
I was hoping to both see a longer game than the first and an awesome Collectors Edition. This is actually sad to see on both points..
@AverageGamer they did show a 6 minute trailer 3 years ago. It has been featured prominently at like 4 major game showcases now. It is their first game with microsoft money. I feel a giant leap forward was the expectation. It being a lower price point than Redfall was is a big red flag for me.
Not sure why anyone would see this as a red flag. Alan Wake 2 was digital only and is my GotY pick for 2023. AC: Mirage was $50 because it was on the shorter side, being “only 20 or so hours.” It can still be a meaty game with a solid impact while sold that way. Even with a similar length to the first one, it can still have extremely high production values.
I dunno, I sort of welcome this mentality. It certainly beats the “every game is $60 unless it’s an indie” mentality last generation. I’m sure the game will be very high quality regardless, and I’m not even someone that liked playing the first one or will likely play this one. I’m just recognizing the game will be quality and, given the high digital attach rate on Xbox, feel like this makes sense.
Definitely disappointed. Had plans to own it as well. Guess that won't be the case and will be a "play on Gamepass and delete" type of dealio.
Hopefully this isn't a sign of their future releases. If they want to go digital only, I might as well just go back to Steam primarily. I trust Steam with digital only purchases way more than I'd ever trust Microsoft.
I hated the first one so can’t see me playing this. Don’t like this idea though especially since it’s an exclusive.
I do think it should have a physical. But in regards to the length, if that is the length of the story they want to tell why pad it out?
They have poured years of work into this tighter experience. Hopefully the quality is all the better because of it.
There are plenty of moments in story-based games where I just roll my eyes because it’s unnecessary padding.
Again didn’t see much that go me at all excited
This game could end up being forgotten over night and it looks like so much development and devotion has gone into it.
I would have got them to make a devil may cry style game and it would have done wonders for Xbox sales wise overall and got them some much needed attention with the right PR.
It's only a matter of time, first they phase out physical games, next games will be exclusive to gamepass.
@OldGamer999 hopefully once Hellblade 2 is out, they can get to work on a new IP. Perhaps they have already started.
@K1LLEGAL
I would have skipped Hellblade 2 if I was in charge of them.
And got them making a mass general public appeal game with all the whizz bangs etc.
and PR it well.
I was expecting it to be similar in length to the first game so I'm not surprised by this at all. I think it's the type of game that's suited to a short runtime as the gameplay grows stale pretty quickly. Even with it's short runtime I never ended up finishing the first one as I grew pretty bored of it and Hellblade 2 looks like more of the same. Quality over quantity will make it a far better game.
@LuciaThicc some people like owning their games instead of just buying a license.
@LuciaThicc I will always buy physical if there’s an option too. If a game is digital only than I won’t buy it simple. If digital is the only option like PC then yes obviously I would have to go digital. Also not everything has gone digital yet, you can still buy physical blu ray movies.
Welp, that makes this a hard pass for me. I don’t buy games that don’t have the option of a physical version. Perhaps digital-only is the future; but I don’t have to support that future with my money.
@somnambulance it's 6 to 7 hours lol.
@LuciaThicc Wow is this such a blind perspective. There's a reason why people still buy physical. Digital content can removed at any moment, and not everyone wants to pay monthly for a service.
Also, "the minority" means nothing. Physical games still sell. Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 games sell millions physically.
Does this mean every game has to be physical? No. But you should not devalue the existence of physical media just because you think it's inconvenient. So no, I will not deal with it.
I have no problem with Hellblade 2 being digital only, priced low and is a short game. May cant come soon enough!
Frankly it's a disgrace, regardless of anyone's opinions on physical vs digital, this is a game from the platform holder who sell a console with a disc drive. Those customers should be supported by them and we've already had HiFi Rush recently skip on a physical copy and now this
I am exclusively a digital gamer on Xbox unless it’s me hunting down delisted titles. I am a bit disappointed there won’t be a physical release, but it won’t affect me.
I’m actually surprised about the $50 price tag. Even if the game is “only” 20 hours, I would have expected the standard $70 price tag.
I would love if we got more $50 games with 20 hours worth of play, especially if we start getting them again every 3 years.
Wtf??? I won't buy it.
No physical option is a no for me.
Terrible trend going that route in my opinion.
Shame, I did enjoy the first one.
I'm glad that this will be a relatively short experience. Too many games demand 100+ hours these days.
They actually did the same thing for the original as well although that cost $30 if I remember correctly. Still, that was an independent Ninja Theory at the time. It's strange that they would do it again with Microsoft backing them this time.
Out of curiosity, @KillerBoy, why, if a game is digital only on the PC is it okay to buy it, but not so on a console? That makes no sense to me. Also, the vast majority of games that release on consoles are digital only, because they are smaller in nature, do you not buy them either?
@MrMagic A good 6-7 hours is better than a plodding 80 hours. It’s a higher value, imo. With Hellblade, you’re paying for production values instead of a huge world, though I’m really curious about where they can take the story for a sequel.
@Fiendish-Beaver PC games are digital only and most PCs don’t have hard drives anymore so physical is not an option, as far as I know. Most games I play on xsx or ps5 have a physical option so I will always opt out for that. Maybe there’s one or two games that were digital only that I wantee to play like monster hunter rise but it just means that I won’t play them.
@Kevw2006
Tbh.. You don't know what you have miss, from not finishing the first game. A very emotional ending and set up for build up to the 2nd game.
I got the psychical copy of the first game and trade it in. But i will pick up the 2nd game on a sale.
@somnambulance It's true that quality always trumps quantity but the fact Xbox are still conditioning their playerbase to abandon physical games is disgusting.
Even an Indie studio like BlueTwelve released a physical edition of Stray and they aren't owned and backed by the richest company in the world.
Fair enough, @KillerBoy. It just seems a bit of a contradiction in that if you are prepared to buy a game digitally on the PC, why not on a console? Up to you, of course, but personally, I wouldn't miss out on a game that I wanted to play just because it was not available physically...
@AverageGamer Also had covid and a studio move disrupting them as well. Plus some of them might be working on project mara too.
I"ll wait for the physical launch
Dang, digital only is a deal breaker? Let me go tell Alan wake 2, BG3, and basically every indie game ever.
I'm a little gutted it's not getting a physical release, I was hoping for a collector's edition with a nice steelbook and art book.
But then again most people will be playing this on game pass anyway and who knows what will happen in the future, in terms of the games length I'm actually glad it's a little on the shorter side, to many games are bloated and boring and there just aren't enough hours in the day.
Gimme something I can enjoy and complete comfortably anyday
@Fiendish-Beaver just dont be shocked if later down the line you can’t play that game anymore.
I understand the all digital future. But I was really hoping for a physical version. Hopefully avowed and the great circle get physical releases, especially if they are $70.
I'll give it a try on Game Pass.
Wasn't a fan of the first game though.
Xbox physical games might end up being limited run. We already know 75% of xbox owners have a Series S. Anyone buying through the windows store or Steam is also doing digital. So you end up with maybe 10% of possible sales or so going to owners of the xbox series x.
It seems rather clear that this is the beginning of the digital only future for Xbox that was leaked back in September.
No, @KillerBoy., I get that. Any game I buy digitally (which for me is pretty much everything!) will potentially be unavailable to me one day. However, I'd rather play anything I want, rather than miss out on it completely just because it is not available physically. Alan Wake 2, as an example, was a legitimate Game of the Year contender last year (indeed, if it hadn't of been for the sublime Baldur's Gate 3 (which also was mostly available digitally only (other than very limited and expensive Collector's Editions) it probably would have won), and yet the game is only available digitally. I loved the game, and would not have wished to have missed it simply because it is not available physically.
And anyway, I am now 60...! Who knows how much longer I'll be around...? Once I'm gone, I won't be playing anything..! 😉😂
Good thing this is on game pass ,as its less than 8hrs long ,it better be truly something special or its gonna get slaughtered.
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