Xbox recently held its latest Developer Direct event, showcasing five games set to release in 2024 for Xbox and PC. Among the games featured was the highly-anticipated sequel, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, an Xbox exclusive that initially captivated fans with its stunning graphics.
A closer look at Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 has been widely praised for its graphics and has been eagerly awaited by fans since its announcement in 2019. During the Developer Direct event, gamers were treated to 10 minutes of gameplay footage and developer talks, providing a deeper dive into what the game will offer.
The original game, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, garnered numerous awards for its compelling story centered around the struggles of the protagonist with psychosis. The sequel aims to expand on the original's success, delving into aspects of Norse mythology and historic Iceland.
A shocking post-showcase announcement
While fans were thrilled by everything showcased during the Xbox Developer Direct, a subsequent blog post on Xbox Wire left them furious. The post revealed that Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 would be a digital-only title, priced at $49.99/£49.99.
The blog post explained that the digital-only distribution allowed the developers to create a game that perfectly aligns with their intended experience, while also reflecting a shorter story length. The original game was 8-10 hours long, and the sequel is expected to be of a similar length.
Disappointment over physical copies
Although the lower price point may be appealing to some, many gamers still prefer to purchase physical copies of games due to concerns about online services shutting down. This announcement follows a similar uproar last year when Alan Wake 2 was announced as digital-only. Hellblade 2 becomes the second major game to take this approach.
If you're interested in learning more about digital games, Ubisoft has recently discussed their vision for gamers to feel "comfortable" with the idea of never owning their games.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
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