A year after its release on Xbox and PC,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2is coming to PlayStation 5 this summer. Ninja Theory’s action-adventure title joins a long string of triple-A games under the Microsoft Gaming umbrella coming to Sony’s competing console, many which have been successful on the platform. The move makes sense forHellbladein particular, as the original game,Senua’s Sacrifice, launched on PS4 before Xbox back in 2017, prior to Microsoft’s purchase of Ninja Theory.
On X,Ninja Theoryannounced the new version, calling itSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 Enhanced. It’s already on thePlayStation Storefor those who want to wishlist it, althoughit has no release date yet. The game will also be optimized for PS5 Pro, and new features are coming to all versions of the game through a free update. On PlayStation 5 specifically,the game will feature “immersive haptic feedback"via the DualSense controller. Along withHellbladereleasing on PS4, Ninja Theory also has a history with PlayStation going back toHeavenly Swordin 2007.
Hellblade 2 May Look Best On PS5 Pro
An Already Great-Looking Game Will Look Better
Hellblade 2is already a visual spectacle and a technical powerhouse of a game, featuring photorealistic graphics and thrilling cinematic sequences.Screen Rant’s 9/10 reviewof the game said that “the majority of the game feels like watching a movie rather than playing a video game.” With Ninja Theory specifically optimizing the title for PlayStation 5 Pro, players can expect further enhancements to the already-stunning game with that version. While the studio didn’t detail any specific improvements to the Enhanced edition, one would hope that it would feature a frame rate bump afterthe 30 FPS rate disappointed some.
There is already a precedent of Xbox-owned games getting noticeable upgrades on PS5 Pro, such asIndiana Jones and the Great Circle. The MachineGames-developed titlereceived advanced ray-tracing and a stable 60 FPS, among other PS5-exclusive features like haptic feedback, adaptive trigger support, and 3D audio.Forza Horizon 5also came out on PS5, and the PS5 Pro version was noted as the best way to play it on a console (viaDigital Foundry). Itwouldn’t be surprising if the PS5 Pro became the best console to playHellblade 2, based on recent examples.
Xbox Games Find New Life On PlayStation
Microsoft’s Strategy Is Working
Microsoft’s multi-platform strategy has been the talk of the industry and gaming communities for over a year or so, butputting its titles on other platforms has shown success so far. Even long-running games likeSea of Thievesstill managed to find an audience on PS5, and more recently, bothIndiana JonesandForzatopped PS5 charts. It’s safe to assume thatHellblade 2will pick up some significant sales when it hits the PlayStation Store, joining other titles likeHi-Fi Rush,Pentiment, andGrounded.
WithHellbladeand Ninja Theory already having some history with PlayStation, the fact that Senua’s Saga is crossing platform lines isn’t as shocking asGears of Warcoming to PlayStation, but it’s yet another use case for Microsoft’s evolving platform strategy. If patient players who only own a PlayStation 5 (or better yet, a Pro) have been holding out onSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2for a year now, their patience will soon pay off.
