Dishonored 2 Gets Surprise Update 9 Years After 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.

One of the most highly praised Bethesda games of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 generation, Dishonored 2, has been surprisingly updated out of the blue, though it's not the update many fans were hoping for. Released at the end of 2016, Dishonored 2 builds on the legacy 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, have captivated players with their innovative gameplay mechanics and detailed environments.

Arkane Lyon, the developer behind Dishonored 2, also created the acclaimed 2021 game Deathloop. However, its sister studio, Arkane Austin, faced closure in 2024 alongside other Xbox studios like Roundhouse Studios, Alpha Dog Games, and Tango Gameworks, though Tango was later revived by Korean publisher Krafton. Arkane Austin was known for the original Dishonored, the 2017 sci-fi adventure Prey, and the 2023 co-op looter shooter Redfall, which received mixed reviews. Fortunately, Arkane Lyon continues to operate and is currently developing Marvel's Blade in partnership with Marvel Games.

Out of the blue, fans of Dishonored 2 noticed a small update had been released for the game on Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam. This update appears to be a minor bug fix patch, with SteamDB indicating it also updates the game's language depots. The update is only 230MB, but on Xbox, it 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 for Dishonored 2 remains somewhat unclear, and many fans are disappointed that it doesn't include the much-anticipated performance boost. While nearly every other Arkane game can run at 60 FPS on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, Dishonored 2 remains locked at 30 FPS. Even the original Dishonored and the standalone spinoff Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, released in 2017, benefit from 60 FPS enhancements on these consoles. There's speculation that Arkane Lyon might release a 60 FPS patch for Dishonored 2's tenth anniversary in 2026, though waiting that long for such an update might not satisfy fans.

While many in the Arkane community have been eagerly awaiting a third mainline Dishonored game, its development seems far off, if it happens at all, especially following the closure of Arkane Austin. This closure will likely slow down the production of new Arkane titles. Currently, Arkane Lyon is focused on developing the third-person game Marvel's Blade, which has yet to receive a release date.