Hellblade developer Ninja Theory announced Project Mara in 2020, but it may not be going forward–and that might not be a very surprising thing. The game was described as an “experimental title that explores new ways of storytelling.” Now, reporter Jez Corden has said the game was “only ever a concept” and was not guaranteed to be seen through to release anyway.
He added: “It could be developed into a game some day, or evolve into something else.”
In 2020, Ninja Theory said Project Mara would be a “real-world and grounded representation of mental terror.” The description continued: “Based on real lived experience accounts and in-depth research, our aim is to recreate the horrors of the mind as accurately and realistically as possible.”
Even back then, Ninja Theory referred to the project as “experimental” in multiple instances and said it was aiming to be a “showcase of what could become a new storytelling medium.”
As for what Ninja Theory may be working on, Corden reported that the developer’s next title, which he said on the Xbox Two podcast could be Hellblade 3, “will be more combat-involved and interactive” than the first two Hellblade titles. Those games were highly cinematic in nature, which pleased some and bothered others. In any event, Corden reported that Ninja Theory’s next game will retain some of the cinematic qualities of those games.
Microsoft’s development teams are said to be working on numerous upcoming projects, including a StarCraft shooter, Wolfenstein 3, remakes of Fallout 3 and New Vegas, and a new Warcraft game.
2026 is the 25th anniversary of Xbox, and Microsoft is planning many celebrations. The ball gets rolling on January 22, which is when Microsoft will host the Xbox Developer Direct, focusing primarily on Fable and Forza Horizon 6.