Ex-Arkane Designer Reveals Cost of Dishonored 2 Surpassed Skyrim, Despite Lower Sales Expectations from Bethesda
An insight from a former Arkane designer on the production costs and sales performance of Dishonored 2 in relation to Skyrim.
Dishonored 2, recognized as one of the finest immersive sims, failed to achieve the sales success it merited. According to Julien Eveillé, a former designer at Arkane Lyon, the game’s reputation provided it a “seal-of-quality protection” that arguably saved the studio. Eveillé noted that Bethesda’s scrutiny of sales data prompted concerns about continued investment in Arkane, especially since Skyrim, which cost less to produce, outperformed Dishonored 2 financially.
Eveillé remarked:
“It was a bit strange and weird. I think when Bethesda was looking at the numbers, they thought, OK, Skyrim sold so much. And it cost less than Dishonored 2 to make.”
He emphasized how Dishonored’s quality and Arkane’s legacy were crucial, stating that this reputation “kind of saved the studio.”
Despite Arkane Lyon’s success with projects like Deathloop, their Austin branch suffered from the disappointing launch of Redfall, leading to its closure. Eveillé recently ventured out to create his own immersive horror game, Threshold, highlighting the lasting impact of his Arkane journey.
