"Dishonored 2 Receives Unexpected Update 9 Years Post-Launch"

Summary

• Dishonored 2 unexpectedly received a small update for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
• The patch is quite small and appears to include bug fixes and language updates.
• Arkane Lyon is currently working on Marvel's Blade.

Dishonored 2, one of the most critically acclaimed Bethesda titles from the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 era, has been unexpectedly updated across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms. Released at the end of 2016, Dishonored 2 built upon the success of its 2012 predecessor by introducing a new playable character, Emily Kaldwin. The game's standout missions, such as The Clockwork Mansion and A Crack in the Slab, captivated players with their innovative gameplay and detailed settings.

Arkane Lyon, the developer behind Dishonored 2, also created the acclaimed 2021 title Deathloop. However, their sister studio, Arkane Austin, which developed the original Dishonored, Prey in 2017, and the less well-received Redfall in 2023, was unfortunately closed as part of the 2024 Xbox studio shutdowns. This closure also affected other teams like Roundhouse Studios, Alpha Dog Games, and Tango Gameworks, though Tango was later revived by Korean publisher Krafton. Fortunately, Arkane Lyon continues to operate and is currently developing Marvel's Blade in collaboration with Marvel Games.

Recently, fans were surprised to see a new update for Dishonored 2 on Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam. This update, weighing in at just 230MB, appears to be a minor patch addressing bugs and updating language files, according to SteamDB. However, on Xbox, the update requires a full reinstallation of the entire 40GB game.

Dishonored 2 Receives a Surprise New Update, but Not a 60 FPS Mode

The purpose of this unexpected update remains somewhat unclear, and many fans are disappointed that it does not include the much-anticipated performance boost to 60 FPS. While other Arkane titles, including the original Dishonored and Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, can run at 60 FPS on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, Dishonored 2 remains capped at 30 FPS. There's speculation that Arkane Lyon might be planning a 60 FPS update for the game's tenth anniversary in 2026, but waiting that long for such an upgrade might not satisfy fans.

The prospect of a third mainline Dishonored game seems distant, especially following the closure of Arkane Austin, which will likely slow down the development of new Arkane titles. Currently, Arkane Lyon is focused on their upcoming third-person game, Marvel's Blade, though no release date has been announced yet.