When the sequel to The Darkness was announced, many fans were probably more excited for a new Starbreeze game than a second chance at The Darkness. While the comic series has a following, the love for that studio after Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and The Darkness is cult-like. Then the real news came: the game would be developed by Digital Extremes.
Nothing against Digital Extremes, as it seems they’re still on track for making a fine game, but it’s hard not to wonder what happened to Starbreeze. In an email sent to CVG, Starbreeze CEO Mikael Nermark explained what happened: “The decision was not up to Starbreeze, and when it was decided to do a sequel we had already started working on a new project.”
So Starbreeze was simply too busy at the time. After a game based on the Jason Bourne movies was canceled, the team began work on a secret project called “RedLime.” Many believe it will be a follow-up to Syndicate.
It would have been nice if Starbreeze could have stuck with the series it made so memorable, but it’s not a total loss. I had a chance to try The Darkness 2 not too long ago and it looked solid, if not a bit action-focused. Here’s hoping Digital Extremes manages to capture the innovative sensibilities that made the original so cool.
