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The release ofSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2is almost here, with mere hours left until the game is finally unleashed to the world.
The game has been in the works for many years, and we finally get to see the continuation of the story revolving around our resilient protagonist, Senua. Gamers have been excited to play the game; that is, the ones who knew about this upcoming release, which isn’t a lot. Why has Xbox not marketed this title harder?
Hellblade 2 Given the Middle Child Treatment by Xbox
The middle child isn’t totally invisible. Their parents acknowledge their existence, but beyond that, they’re mostly neglected and overlooked compared to their older and younger siblings. That’s how Xbox is treating theHellbladesequel currently, compared to other IPs.
The first game is a sleeper hit; a lot of people haven’t played it, but those that did, loved it. The gameplay didn’t escape criticism, but its messaging, way of story-telling, and voice acting were really where it shined.
Sure, it didn’t make the number-one best-selling list anywhere, but that wasn’t the point of the game. Profit or loss, Ninja Theory was intent on creating an experience that could portray some of the trials and tribulations that accompany psychosis.
The One Aspect of Hellblade 2 Ninja Theory Heavily Focused on “Right at the beginning of the project” Already Makes it Better Than Senua’s Sacrifice
Even more interestingly, it showed players what that might look like for someone who lived in a period before mental illnesses were acknowledged the way they are now.
The game started making a profit after selling 500,000 copies, and it sold more than a million overall. Being as niche as it is, it would be silly to expect the sequel to be a cash cow for a brand like Xbox.
That also doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve a fighting chance; something that the gaming brand refused to give it, until very recently.
The Marketing for the New Hellblade Is Too Little, Too Late
The completelack of marketing from the gaming brandclose to the game’s release has concerned people. First of all, many only found out about the game’s release in the weeks leading up to it, which isn’t a good look.
Commentbyu/Turbostrider27from discussioninGames
As if it were scrambling last minute, Xbox only recently started lackluster marketing for theHellbladesequel.
1 Tiny Immersive Detail in Hellblade 2 is Something No Other Developer Thinks Of but Could Help Xbox Win Game of the Year
One Redditor reported getting a trailer for the game while at the movie theatre; this was a reply under a post from a user stating that they came across ads of the game while scrolling through the app.
Commentbyu/MEMEY_IFUNNYfrom discussioninXboxSeriesX
![[REDACTED] Review (PS5) – Innovation Caught the Escape Pod Faster Than We Did](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/05095712/redacted-review-768x432.jpg)
Microsoft’s gaming brand recently dropped a video recap of the first game to prepare players for the upcoming release. The reaction was far from happy, however, asusers berated the companyfor starting so late into the release window.
The complete silence around the game (excluding the odd showcase or two we saw over the years) has been bizarre to witness; the secondHellbladecould be a masterpiece, but at this point, many may not even know of its existence or release date.
What do you think about this whole situation? Let us know in the comments below!
Vibha Hegde
Critic/Gaming Writer
Articles Published :594
Vibha is an avid gamer that has been writing about video games for several years. When they’re not complaining about the lack of a Bloodborne sequel or brushing up on the Yokoverse lore, Vibha is busy watching 3-hour video essays on horror games they’re too scared to play themselves.
