Rumors surrounding Dishonored 3 continue to resurface like a boomerang, yet concrete signs of the game’s development remain elusive. While hope flickered briefly in 2023—thanks to leaked Bethesda documents referencing the next Dishonored title alongside new Indiana Jones and Doom projects—those expectations quickly dimmed when The Game Awards came and went without a whisper of confirmation. And as things stand, the sequel seems to remain just out of reach.
Still, fans and creators alike haven’t stopped imagining what a third installment could look like. In a recent episode of the Quad Damage podcast, Raphael Colantonio, founder of Arkane Studios and co-creator of Dishonored, reflected on his hypothetical return to the series. The conversation came up as Colantonio discussed his disinterest in working on projects like Prey 2, which was being developed by another studio before it was shelved.
Arkane Studios Founder Would Like to Make Dishonored 3
“I would love to [work on Dishonored 3],” Colantonio admitted. “I mean, we’re talking hypothetically right now. But I can see myself working on Dishonored 3 now. It’s been so long—so why not? …After the first Dishonored, the last thing I wanted was to spend another four years of my life on Dishonored 2. I like to come up with new things.”
That sentiment reveals a deeper tension: the push and pull between creative freedom and returning to a beloved franchise. The challenge, however, is not just philosophical. There are real-world barriers too. For one, Arkane Studios is currently focused on the upcoming Marvel’s Blade. And more crucially, Colantonio left Arkane in 2017. Since then, he’s carved out a path on his own terms, founding WolfEye Studios, releasing the well-received Weird West, and now working on a retro-futuristic RPG.
But Colantonio isn’t the only key voice with ideas for Dishonored 3. Harvey Smith, another major contributor to the series, and Dinga Bakaba, director of Deathloop and current head of Arkane Lyon, are also believed to have their own visions for a possible sequel.
Which of these visions—if any—might one day materialize is still anyone’s guess. As Colantonio noted, “Right now, we’re talking about science fiction. Most of the people who developed the series are now scattered elsewhere. Harvey is no longer at Arkane. Neither am I. And Dinga is busy working on Blade.”
For now, Dishonored 3 remains a tantalizing “what if”—a sequel suspended between nostalgia, ambition, and the ever-shifting priorities of the game industry.