Could Ninja Theory be behind Xbox’s crosshair?
Ninja Theory, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, finds itself in a curious position. Industry veteran and Cirana Executive Director Matt Piscatella reported on the game’s sales for its release month of May 2024. While Hellblade ranked a respectable 21st on Xbox Series consoles, its overall US sales only secured 37th place.
However, sales figures don’t tell the whole story. Hellblade‘s day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass undoubtedly impacted traditional sales. Piscatella highlights this, noting the game achieved 12th place in overall Xbox engagement, placing it just below Fallout 76. This is actually quite a good score considering Hellblade is sort of a niche single player experience that might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
The real concern lies in Xbox’s recent closure of Tango Gameworks, who are the creators of the successful and award-winning Hi-Fi Rush, despite its release on Game Pass. I still don’t understand the reason behind that, by the way. Hi-Fi Rush became extremely popular despite receiving a quiet release, and personally, I was a huge fan of the unique art style and cool ideas that were presented in the game. This sets a worrying precedent for Ninja Theory as you never know what the folks at Xbox are smoking.
Fortunately, there’s a silver lining. Windows Central reported in May that Ninja Theory’s next project has already been greenlit, alongside their experimental horror title “Project Mara.” This suggests the studio is actively developing new experiences.
While Ninja Theory might not be in immediate danger, there’s likely pressure to improve commercial performance with their next title. I think there have been enough studios shutting down–especially so by Xbox who have been buying studios and shutting them down left and right, so hopefully Ninja Theory’s next projects meet Xbox’s expectations.
