Hellblade 2 Is Getting Marketed Ahead Of Launch, Xbox Exec Insists Amid Criticism

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II releases on May 21, and some people online have criticized Xbox for not doing enough--in their eyes--to promote the game ahead of launch. Aaron Greenberg, a longtime marketing executive for Xbox, has responded to this, saying a global paid media campaign for the game just began on May 8.

This promotional campaign is live now on YouTube, HBO/Max, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Samsung, and more. Additionally, Xbox is hosting a "creator event" to help promote the game right now in Iceland.

Greenberg said Microsoft has more promotional activities in the works for Hellblade II, including ads for the game in movie theaters, with particular brands, and via Amazon's Fire TV platform, among other places.

Many people roasted Xbox for its recent social media post about Hellblade II, which simply listed the game's name and release date. "I can't believe they also closed their marketing department," the web browser Opera GX wrote in a reply to Xbox.

Hellblade II is a sequel to 2017's well-received Hellblade, a game inspired by Norse mythology that tells a story about mental health struggles. Developer Ninja Theory is aiming to up the ante with the Hellblade sequel. Former studio head Tameem Antoniades told NME that the aim is to create an experience that "feels more believable and more refined."

He added: "Its ambition in terms of scale is bigger. I think Hellblade 2 will make Hellblade look like an indie game."

Hellblade II launches onto Game Pass and will also be available to buy outright for $50 USD. Microsoft acquired Ninja Theory after the original Hellblade came out, and due to this, Hellblade II has not been announced for PlayStation platforms.