Ninja Theory have returned with a new entry in the Hellblade saga, but they’re dropping the blade for this new game titled, quite simply, as Senua. Senua will launch in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PC and it’s also coming to PS5
Still haunted and dealing with the voices that she hears, Senua is now trapped between life and death in a fractured version of purgatory, and must fight the demons in order to reach the afterlife and reunite with her loved ones. It looks rather like she’s close to accepting what her psychosis is poisoning her thoughts with, but continues to fight on.
Talking about the game’s announcement on Xbox Wire, Ninja Theory studio head Dom Matthews explained why this is just Senua and now Hellblade 3. “The title of just Senua really reflects that this is something fresh and new and different. It is a different style of game. I think Hellblade I and Hellblade II had an intention that we delivered on – but this is a different intention. I think of it as being additive – we’re taking all of that goodness and adding the types of things that people expect from a premium action-adventure game.”
That intention is that this will be more of an out-and-out action adventure title with more puzzle gameplay, more involved traversal and combat with multiple weapons to choose between. The change in direction comes from some of the feedback on Hellblade 2 which was that, while it was at the pinnacle in terms of graphics and storytelling, it came up short with how engaging and interactive the gameplay was.
To produce this game, Ninja Theory is able to immediately build on their existing technology and processes and that, in tandem with using the full studio’s staff after cancelling Project Mara, is allowing them to target a three year development cycle.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 was released as an Xbox and PC exclusive in 2024 before coming to PS5 last year in Xbox’s broader cross-platform strategy. At the time, we said, “Just like its forbear, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is an oppressive, powerful and haunting example of the power of video games, and one that sets its own parameters for what a digital experience can be. It is a game that must be experienced, not least because, there’s nothing else quite like it.”
