A brand-new Thief trailer heralds a launch date that’s probably a lot closer than you expect.
Step one: the new Thief trailer. It’s still rocking a very Dishonored vibe, with the disease-stricken masses of the great unwashed simmering under the thumb of a ruthless, muscular ruler in a City that could easily be one of the more run-down sections of Dunwall. It doesn’t necessarily look bad but it does look extremely derivative, and while that’s probably just a matter of unfortunate timing it will inevitably lead to comparisons with a very, very popular and successful game. That’s a tough spot to be in, especially for a game that’s had as rough a pre-release ride as Thief.
Step two: launch date! Until now all we’ve had to work with in the way of a release window has been 2014, but today Square Enix and Eidos Montreal announced that Thief will launch in North America on February 25 for the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PC. That’s just six months away, and certainly a lot closer than I expected.
The box art is out too and I have to say that even setting aside my not-exactly-secret dissatisfaction with what I’ve seen of the new Thief thus far, it’s really not knocking my socks off. It’s not bad, just bland – good box art is so hard to come by these days.
One other thing: the presence of the monk-looking guys at around the 1:55 mark is interesting. Pagans, perhaps? The pendant around the central figure’s neck could easily be one of the old Thief sigils. Perhaps there’s a bit of the ol’ sneaksie taffersie in here after all?
