Ninja Theory Cancels Experimental Horror Game Project Mara to Focus Entire Eighty Five Person Team on the New Senua Flagship Series
Ninja Theory has confirmed that Project Mara has been cancelled, their ambitious and experimentally horrifying title which was first introduced years ago. Studio head Dom Matthews has confirmed the decision following the reveal of Senua at the recent Xbox Games Showcase, which has resulted in the developer deciding to bring their entire staff together under one single project to scale up their flagship series.
Originally intended as a smaller, more experimental psychological horror game exploring mental illness with Melina Juergens in the lead, the new Senua has demanded that the studio take a look at their multi project work. According to Matthews, since going indie the studio has undergone considerable expansion, making focus an essential resource.
I made the decision not to continue work on it. Such decisions are not made easily, but I did this to leverage the full talent and experience of the studio, uniting all 85 of our creatives to realize the potential of Senua.
Switching to a single title represents a significant shift in how the studio is taking advantage of its workers, which during the time of Hellblade's production was limited to 25 workers. Though still small by triple A standards, the 85 strong team is looking to combine their experiences on one project to scale up and improve game play mechanics within the game's new design.
The consolidated team will use these resources to broaden the new project's scale. While the new project is expected to come out next year and contain a map two times the size of the original, the project will maintain its linearity with a focus on expanding new gameplay mechanics like combat and traversal, alongside improved puzzles in order to create a stronger player experience.
