Arkane Studios and the missed chances for Thief 4

Arkane Studios, known for its work on Redfall and Deathloop , has recently revealed that it once came close to developing Thief 4 , as well as a game based on Blade Runner . These revelations came from conversations with former studio co-directors Raphael Colantonio and Harvey Smith .

Development and proposal

During a recent meeting, Colantonio explained how Bethesda approached the company about contributing to the Thief franchise. Before they began work on Dishonored , they were given the chance to develop either Thief or Blade Runner. Colantonio said they were incredibly excited about the opportunity, which is reflected in the parallels he drew between the projects.

According to the co-directors, both Thief and Blade Runner, two of their favorite franchises, were an ideal fit for the studio. “We were in such a bad place as a company, and they didn’t just come to save us, they came with IPs we most wanted to work on,” Colantonio said.

Creative pitches

Colantonio and Smith say they not only had a pitch for Thief 4 , but also several videos that reflected their vision. Smith described the pitches for both projects as “great.” This points to a strong creative foundation and a clear idea of what they would bring to players.

They also worked with a skilled animator specializing in first-person combat, which led to exciting gameplay ideas for the Blade Runner project. Colantonio noted that in discussions with Doug Church , a legend in immersive sims, they would have developed innovative combat techniques.

The final choice

Ultimately, despite the strong interest in both IPs, uncertainty about their status as an independent studio led to a different outcome. According to Colantonio, Bethesda encouraged them to keep pursuing their own ideas, which resulted in the creation of Dishonored . “Dishonored actually started from the foundation of Thief 4,” he added.

That decision went on to produce one of the most influential games in the genre. Colantonio and Smith also said that, although the projects never moved forward, the flood of ideas played an important role in the evolution of their team.

This story of missed opportunities serves as a reminder that game development can sometimes depend on strategic decisions and company structures.