Arkane’s Deathloop has been delayed to September 14, the studio announced on Twitter this morning. The game was originally set to release May 21.
“We’ll be using this extra time to accomplish our goal: create a fun, stylish, and mind-bending player experience,” the studio wrote. “We apologize for the extended wait and thank you all for your passion and excitement.”
In a video attached to the announcement, game director Dinga Bakaba and art director Sebastien Mitton call the delay a “very hard decision” and explain that “we need to do everything we can to ensure the health and safety of everyone at the studio.”
Deathloop was previously delayed back in August, with the Bethesda-owned studio also citing “health and safety” as a reason. The covid-19 pandemic has been upending game releases throughout 2020 and 2021, and that trend, understandably, shows no sign of slowing.
Deathloop was announced at E3 2019. It was intended to be one of the PS5's tentpole titles, a choice that’s come to feel a little weird following Xbox maker Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda’s parent company Zenimax. Deathloop is still intended to be a console exclusive on the PS5, alongside a PC release, while the future homes of Bethesda’s games remain up in the air.