The upcoming FPS from Arkane Studios Lyon, known as Deathloop, has been delayed. The news came in a short update this morning, posted to the studio’s Twitter account. Unsurprisingly, the developer cited long-term complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for the Deathloop delay. The new anticipated release date is Q2 2021, which is roughly around spring time.
Arkane Studios emphasized the goal to “bring Deathloop’s world to life” and to deliver an experience on par with what audiences have come to expect from them. While the team also expressed disappointment about the delay, they felt it was necessary to deliver the game as a finished product. It’s an admirable goal, considering how many games are prematurely pushed out just to hit deadlines. The last thing fans want from developers are promises to complete unfinished products.
To the community, an update on DEATHLOOP: pic.twitter.com/XveoG6AgoT
— DEATHLOOP (@deathloop) August 18, 2020
Again, but better
Deathloop is a new franchise, created by the team behind Dishonored and Prey. Needless to say, Arkane Studios has built quite the reputation over the past several years for creating memorable games. Deathloop will likely continue the streak as it sounds promising despite how little we know about it. The premise is that Colt, the protagonist, finds himself caught in an unexplainable time loop. It causes him to relive each day and even cheat death on a regular basis as he struggles to free himself from the cycle.
Colt’s goal is to hunt down the eight individuals responsible for the time anomaly and to discover the truth. However, there is a twist. While Colt goes about his quest, he too is hunted by an assassin known as Julianna. This really cranks up the danger for Deathloop, because Julianna can be played by an enemy player. Fortunately, Colt possesses supernatural powers, which helps him stay one step ahead of danger, usually. Death and struggle are inevitable, but the cycle doesn’t have to be eternal.
While the Deathloop delay is certainly disappointing in a year of endless setbacks and isolation, fans can look forward a development update “soon.” Arkane is a studio that knows how to make solid games, so despite the Deathloop delay, it still holds substantial promise in times ahead. When the game does release, it will at least be available on the Bethesda launcher, but we are awaiting confirmation for Steam and the Epic Games Store.
