Former Arkane developers’ new studio says it will avoid designing games around whatever genre or business model is currently popular, instead prioritising projects that suit the team’s own strengths and interests. The stance matters because it contrasts with the industry’s repeated push towards fashionable multiplayer and live-service formats, which can leave studios pursuing crowded markets rather than distinctive ideas.

The article frames the decision against the disappointing legacy of Redfall, Arkane Austin’s co-operative vampire shooter, which was widely viewed as a move away from the studio’s established single-player immersive-sim expertise. It argues that the new studio’s refusal to chase trends is encouraging, given how quickly commercial fashions change and how difficult it is for late entrants to compete with established games.