Dishonored ranks among my all-time favorite games, so much so that I’ve even tattooed Corvo’s mask on my body. The visionary behind the iconic stealth title, Raphael Colontonio, has expressed interest in potentially rejoining the franchise to work on a third installment.
“After the initial Dishonored, the very last thing I wanted to engage in for four years was Dishonored 2,” shared Colontonio, who is now the creative head at WolfEye Studios and the original founder of Arkane, during a conversation on the Quad Damage podcast. “I genuinely prefer creating fresh concepts. Pursuing sequels isn’t my primary passion unless it’s a property I own, the universe is expansive enough, and enough time has passed.”
Given the lengthy development timelines in the gaming industry, it’s clear why someone in a creative role would be keen to pursue new ventures after investing years into a single project. While Dishonored 2 was directed by Harvey Smith, Colontonio contributed to the development of Prey.
Once you’ve exhausted all your creative juices on one game, diving into a new project can refresh your mind, fostering an environment ripe for new ideas to arise organically rather than feeling forced. Shifting from a steampunk aesthetic to a sci-fi theme could be far more enticing for Colontonio. However, he remains open to the possibility of creating another installment in the Dishonored series.
“In a totally hypothetical scenario, I’d be excited to consider working on Dishonored 3 right now, given that so much time has passed—why not? I’d definitely revisit that,” he explained.
For those wondering if a Dishonored 3 already exists: it does not. Although there’s the standalone expansion, Death of the Outsider, which follows Dishonored 2, it isn’t a full sequel, even though it continues the story from the second game and is worth experiencing.
“I once had a document outlining Dishonored 3,” Colontonio revealed. “Harvey has his own version, and I believe Dinga [Bakaba] has one as well. Dinga currently leads Arkane. So, the ideas are there. It’s just a question of which iteration makes it to production; right now, that’s a matter of speculation.”
Personally, I think it would be fantastic if they were to develop all three versions for me to experience, and from there, I could determine which one is most worthy of release. It would certainly be an enjoyable treat. Meanwhile, Colontonio is focused on his latest game with WolfEye. Weird West presented a unique supernatural twist on cowboy lore, and his next venture is described as a blend of “Fallout meets Dishonored,” which I expect will still incorporate some strange magical elements.
If you’re a fan of Dishonored or Prey, be sure to explore our ranking of the top Arkane games.