Xbox reportedly announced Hellblade 3 to attract a buyer for Ninja Theory

Senua is the third game in Ninja Theory’s Hellblade series. Its reveal during this month’s showcase, just two years after Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, surprised many and prompted confusion when news broke this week that Ninja Theory is among the studios Xbox plans to sell or shut down in the weeks ahead.

Game File reports Microsoft chose to show a teaser for Senua anyway to boost the studio’s appeal to potential buyers. The company reportedly already knew it would move forward with spinning off Ninja Theory at the time of Xbox’s June showcase, but hoped the reveal might draw investor interest and make a sale more likely than a full shutdown.

It remains unclear how many developers or studio leaders knew about the plan before the trailer was made. Microsoft is also weighing similar moves for Double Fine and Compulsion Games, and even if those studios survive in some form they would likely face massive layoffs.

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