The unrealized spinoff of Half-Life, known as Ravenholm, was anticipated to be an episodic continuation following Half-Life 2. Raphaël Colantonio, the founder of Arkane Studios, claims that it had the potential to be as remarkable as fans envisioned. However, he noted that its development could not align with Valve’s fast-paced business strategy.
“We needed an additional year—at the very least six more months,” Colantonio explained during an interview on the Quad Damage Podcast, which you can find here. “Valve had a distinct business plan for these Episodes. They aimed to make the Episode model successful but faced challenges internally due to high costs.”
Colantonio has consistently reiterated this sentiment over the years. In a documentary from 2020 regarding Arkane, he mentioned that Ravenholm, which was under development until 2007, needed “another year, and probably a similar amount of funding, or possibly a little less.”
In discussing the project with Quad Damage, he stated that Valve allotted Arkane “12 months,” but he emphasized that “12 months to create something is extremely challenging. By the end of that period, we had – frankly – an alpha version. The game was playable from start to finish, with one or two polished and visually impressive cinematic moments.”
Colantonio remarked, “In other words, the game was truly excellent. I think those at Valve who experienced it would likely agree if asked.”
“But we would have needed an additional six months, or perhaps more, to refine it to its full potential,” he added. “That timeframe didn’t align with Valve’s business model aspirations.”
Regardless of the cancellation, Ravenholm remains a significant chapter in Arkane’s journey.
“Even after its cancellation, it was still a rewarding experience for us,” Colantonio shared with Quad Damage. “Many new members who joined Arkane were eager to engage with that Episode. In fact, Ravenholm became part of the traditions when we brought on new hires, particularly during those years; they would be involved in playtesting those projects.”
“People genuinely enjoyed those experiences,” Colantonio noted, “and it fostered a positive bonding environment.”
The founder of Arkane Studios mentioned he could envision himself “working on Dishonored 3 right now,” yet after completing the first title, pursuing a sequel was “the last thing I wanted to do.”