Dishonored wouldn’t exist without failed Thief 4, Blade Runner pitches
Former Arkane Studios co-directors Raphael Colantonio and Harvey Smith shared new details about Dishonored’s development during a YouTube playthrough, revealing the unconventional path that led to the beloved stealth game’s creation.
According to the developers, Dishonored emerged directly from two failed project pitches at Arkane Studios during a period of severe financial hardship. Bethesda approached the struggling studio with an opportunity to develop a game in the Thief franchise—a proposition that excited the team despite their precarious business situation. Alongside the Thief 4 pitch, the developers were also working on a concept for a Blade Runner game. Neither project ultimately came to fruition.
The developers’ discussion marked one of the most detailed public accounts of these abandoned projects and how they catalyzed the creation of Dishonored. The resulting game became a critical and commercial success, spawning sequels and establishing itself as a cornerstone of immersive simulation design. This behind-the-scenes glimpse demonstrates how creative projects can evolve and transform when circumstances shift, and how setbacks in one area can unexpectedly spark innovation elsewhere.