Before Dishonored, Arkane was tapped to make Thief 4, and my heart weeps for what might have been: ‘We had an amazing pitch for Thief’
Arkane Studios pitched an ambitious version of Thief 4 to Bethesda before ultimately creating Dishonored instead. The stealth-focused developer was initially approached by the publisher to develop the next installment in the iconic Thief franchise, a series that heavily influenced Dishonored’s design philosophy. During a recent Dishonored-related discussion, Arkane developers revealed they had crafted “an amazing pitch for Thief” that never came to fruition. Bethesda also considered commissioning Arkane to develop a Blade Runner game as an alternative project.
While Thief 4 never materialized under Arkane’s direction, the studio went on to create Dishonored, which became critically acclaimed for its stealth mechanics and immersive world design—elements clearly inspired by Thief’s legacy. The creative connection between the two franchises is evident in subtle details: when casting the voice for Dishonored 2’s protagonist Corvo Attano, Arkane selected Stephen Russell, the iconic voice actor behind Thief’s protagonist Garrett. This deliberate choice further cemented the spiritual link between the two series. Ultimately, Dishonored became the spiritual successor to Thief’s crown, offering fans of the stealth genre an evolution of the gameplay they cherished.