Hi everyone, usually, Styx would be the one writing this kind of article himself, snarky tone, suspiciously self-glorifying, maybe a few insults thrown in for good measure. But let’s just say… he’s busy right now (don’t ask).
So this time, it’s us, the devs at Cyanide, who are stepping in to answer the big question: why now? Why bring back Styx after nearly a decade in the shadows?
It’s been almost ten years since Styx, the wisecracking goblin thief, slipped into the shadows. But even after all that time, players never stopped asking the same question: “Is he ever coming back?” We’re thrilled to finally say: yes!
With Styx: Blades of Greed, the master of stealth is back in action, and we wanted to share a little more about the journey that led us here.
Why bring Styx back now?
A lot has changed over the past decade, especially in game development. Thanks to tools like Unreal Engine 5, we can finally realize the vision we’ve always had for Styx’s world, both artistically and technically.
After spending the past few years on very different projects (Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Blood Bowl 3, Pro Cycling Manager, Tour de France...), we were ready for something more personal. Styx has always held a special place in the hearts of our team, and when the opportunity arose to team up with Nacon, everything fell into place.
A familiar world, reimagined
We didn’t want to reinvent Styx’s world, we wanted to evolve it.
That signature darkness, vertical level design, and the feeling of being small in a dangerous place? It’s all still there. But this time, we're taking you to places we only hinted at in the past. Visually, the game reflects where Cyanide is headed as a studio, more detailed, more atmospheric, but always true to Styx’s gritty tone.
The community never left
Over the years, we kept receiving messages from fans, DMs, emails, fan art, heartfelt posts, asking if Styx would ever return.
That kind of passion sticks with you. We knew that if we brought him back, it had to be for the right reasons. We weren’t interested in a half-hearted sequel. We wanted to do it properly, and make something the community could truly get excited about.
What it means to build a stealth game in 2025
Creating a stealth game today is no small feat.
AI is more important than ever, it has to be smart, believable, and readable. That balance is critical: delivering a real challenge without crossing into frustration. We’re staying true to Styx’s hardcore roots, but refining the experience to be more accessible and intuitive without watering anything down.
Keeping the soul of Styx intact
Styx has always been about pure stealth. No brute force, no loud gunfights, just strategy, timing, and careful movement. And if you mess up, you deal with the consequences. That core hasn’t changed.
What has evolved is the tone: his sarcasm is still sharp, but the writing now has more weight and consistency. We’ve taken a more mature approach to both the narrative and the character, less noise, more focus.
Designed for today’s players
We’ve updated the game’s rhythm, mechanics, and controls to meet modern standards, while staying faithful to what fans loved about the originals. We’ll dive deeper into level design in an upcoming post, but know this: every system, every decision has been made with both legacy and new players in mind.
A whole new level of quality for Styx
Switching to Unreal Engine 5 has opened the door to a whole new level of quality.
For the first time, we can fully realize Styx’s world without compromise. More than just a visual upgrade, the new tools also give us room to offer players more flexibility, more ways to approach each challenge, more creative freedom, all while staying true to the core principles of stealth gameplay.
Thanks for reading!
We can't wait to show you more of Styx: Blades of Greed in the months ahead. Whether you’re a longtime fan or discovering Styx for the first time, we’re building this game with you in mind. Stick around, there’s a lot more lurking in the shadows!
And if you’re excited about Styx’s return, there’s one small thing that makes a big difference: wishlist the game. It helps us out a lot, boosts visibility on Steam, and makes sure you don’t miss any updates. Plus, Styx swears he’ll stop judging you (silently, from the shadows) if you do.
So hit that wishlist button, it really matters.
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