Deathloop started as a "small game" stopgap instead of Dishonored 3

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Arkane chose Deathloop over Dishonored 3

Deathloop
(Image credit: Arkane)

Deathloop was meant to be a "small game," before it ballooned in size.

That's according to Arkane co-founder Raphaël Colantonio, speaking to RockPaperShotgun in a new interview this week. Colantonio revealed that Arkane chose to focus on Deathloop because the studio didn't want to develop Dishonored 3, and that the shooter started out as a "small game."

Deathloop would end up becoming a "big thing, over the years," added Colantonio. Arkane didn't want to do Dishonored 3, but instead wanted to make a "small game" with multiplayer, microtransactions, and a "lot of recycling," like a rogue-like, which is how Deathloop was born.

Deathloop went on to become the game it was at launch: a shooter based around a single day with four recycled environments and multiplayer invasions. "It would probably cost just as much to make Dishonored 3," Colantonio admitted in the interview, as Deathloop expanded from its original scale and scope.

"But back then it was not meant to be," the Arkane co-founder added. Considering Deathloop went on to become beloved by players and critics alike around the world (including here at GamesRadar+ in our Deathloop review), we'd say Arkane did pretty well with expanding upon the shooter's original pitch and vision.

Colantonio brings up Arkane wanting to develop Deathloop in order to learn multiplayer games, and that's something the studio is again putting an emphasis on next month with Redfall. The vampiric shooter is set to launch on May 2 for PC, and Xbox Series X/S via Xbox Game Pass.

Check out our guide to the best Deathloops powers to gain first if you're still playing through Arkane's latest sim.

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.