Studio/Co-Creative Director @ Arkane Lyon | Blade, DEATHLOOP, Dishonored, Gray Matter | Capoeira teacher, supernatural dad, into building operas made of bridges
Ten years ago, on November 11, 2016, you discovered a new latitude on the map of the Empire of the Isles: Karnaca. Leaving the fog of Dunwall for the light of Serkonos was far more than a change of scenery: it was an aesthetic, technical and playful gamble.
At @ArkaneStudios , we work like a workshop of craftspeople. For Dishonored 2, we turned away from cold photorealism in favor of imperfect, vibrant textures, nourished among other things by nineteenth-century Russian and French realist painting. Our artists are passionate about unusual objects, sculptures, volumes and soundscapes, and know how to make light speak. They work like the tailors of old: bespoke, every piece cut, fitted and sewn for its character, its place and its story. But this art direction was never just a coat of paint. It is inseparable from game design, level design, narrative and programming. The urban canyons of Karnaca, the modularity of Jindosh’s Clockwork Mansion, the back-and-forth between past and present in Stilton Manor: all of it was born from a constant dialogue between form and function. Every ledge, every sound, every texture was designed so that the art serves the pleasure and flair with which you use your powers. We talk about immersive sims because, in our hearts, Karnaca is above all a theater of systems, where the setting tells the story and where the unexpected surprises you at every turn. Our greatest reward is watching you play and replay creatively: combining powers, alternating between stealth and brute force, delicacy and daring, all while taking the time to notice the attention we pour into the smallest details.
Ten years later, this way of thinking about space and putting control back in the player’s hands remains our compass. We carry that legacy into the worlds we are building today, with the same rigor and the same desire to surprise you.
Thank you for exploring Karnaca over these past ten years.
Sébastien Mitton
Art Director & Co-Creative Director, Arkane Lyon
(Artist: @JulesAuger )
“Survival and ambition, art and magic.”
Today is the 10th anniversary of Dishonored 2, a game which feels like it should not exist, and yet miraculously does.
Arkane created a genuine wonder of immersive gameplay and interlocking level design, set in a pristinely painted world.
10 Years of adventure, intrigue and discovery in the Jewel of the South!
#Dishonored2, I still believe to this day, is the best game that @ArkaneStudios has EVER produced. It is immaculately designed, incredibly fun to play and has insane replay value.
It is my favorite sequel of all time in my favorite franchise of all time and the thought that it’s already a decade old is maddening.
Sending HUGE ❤️ to EVERYONE at Arkane Lyon who contributed to this masterpiece in ways both big and small! This game means EVERYTHING to me and I will be forever appreciative of your hard work and dedication, because it paid off in spades for me!
10 years ago today, Dishonored 2 went Gold.
I remember playing that build on my new home PC making a high chaos stealth "Corvo takes shit from no one anymore" run and thinking: fuck, I'm so privileged to have worked on a game I love to play with people I love working with.
🥲
@TimSweeneyEpic yes Tim but decades later we're still talking about their games and how much they influenced design. some people create art to make a difference. others do to earn profit. and btw you laid off 1000 people this year, so you don't own that moral highground either.
Thanks a lot @RebelWolvesDevs and @BandaiNamcoEU for the game keys, you made many Arkanites very happy, so please enjoy this little illustration by the amazing @JulesAuger to congratulate you on the release and success of @DawnwalkerGame ! 🗡️🩸🧛🏽♂️
@Psychobaker_24@rafcolantonio On ne parlait pas d'impact commercial mais d'impact sur l'industrie. Demon's Souls est celui qui a secoué l'industrie et qui a ouvert la route à Dark Souls sa suite spirituelle.
@Kojima_Hideo Another World is one of the reasons I make video games today, such an inspiration. To this day the cover art is a Proust madeleine moment for me. 🖤🧡