Ninja Theory has announced the cancellation of Project Mara

Image credit: Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios

Ninja Theory has decided to discontinue its horror project known as Project Mara. The studio's head, Dom Matthews, shared this information shortly after unveiling Senua, the latest addition to the Hellblade series, at the Summer Game Fest.

Regarding the cancellation, Matthews stated, "Considering our entire team's dedication to Senua, some may wonder about Project Mara's fate. I chose to cease its development. Such choices are challenging, but it enables us to harness the studio's full creative capabilities—85 skilled individuals—to fully explore Senua's potential."

Project Mara was once considered an "experimental piece" portraying "mental terror" with realistic and research-based depictions of psychological distress.

Originally announced in 2020, Project Mara was being developed alongside Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 and the multiplayer game Bleeding Edge. In 2021, Ninja Theory discontinued updates for Bleeding Edge, maintaining its availability on Xbox and PC, to center their efforts on the Hellblade series and other projects.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, released in August 2017, received acclaim for its representation of mental health and earned five BAFTA Awards. The 2024 follow-up was nominated for 11 BAFTA Awards in 2025, including a nomination for Best British Game.