Dishonored 2: A Critical Success That Struggled Commercially
Dishonored 2, an immersive sim widely acclaimed for its quality, failed to meet commercial expectations. Despite its critical acclaim, the game's sales fell short of its pedigree and impressiveness.
Julien Eveillé, a former Arkane Lyon designer, attributed the game's underperformance to factors including its higher development cost compared to Bethesda's other successful titles. Arkane's reputation for creating high-quality games shielded the studio from more severe repercussions.
In contrast to Skyrim's open-world sandbox, Dishonored emphasized precision and chaos within stricter rules. Eveillé credits this unique approach as a potential factor in its lack of commercial success.
Despite Dishonored's commercial struggles, Arkane Lyon's studio director, Dinga Bakaba, played a pivotal role in safeguarding the studio's future. Bakaba urged the team to focus on creating exceptional games rather than pursuing buzzwords or live-service models.
However, Arkane Austin faced challenges with Redfall, a live-service game that ultimately contributed to the studio's closure. Eveillé's departure from Arkane led him to create Threshold, an immersive horror game that garnered critical praise.