Ninja Theory cancels Project Mara

Ninja Theory has cancelled its horror title codenamed Project Mara.

Studio head Dom Matthews confirmed the decision after announcing Senua, the third instalment in the Hellblade franchise, at Summer Game Fest.

"With the fact that we have the entire team working on [Senua], I suspect some people might ask what happened to Project Mara," said Matthews.

"I took the decision not to work on that any further. These decisions are never easy, but I did so to take the opportunity to have all the talent and expertise in the studio, all 85 creatives, working together to realise the potential of what Senua can be."

Project Mara was described as an "experimental title" and a "real-world and grounded representation of mental terror."

"Based on real lived experience accounts and in-depth research, the goal is to recreate the horrors of the mind as accurately and realistically as possible," the studio said.

Project Mara was announced in 2020, during the development of Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 and the multiplayer title Bleeding Edge.

Ninja Theory stopped updates for Bleeding Edge in 2021 to focus on Hellblade and other projects. The game remains available on Xbox and PC.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, which was released in August 2017, was recognised for its portrayal of mental health experiences and won five BAFTA Awards.

Its 2024 sequel was nominated for 11 BAFTA Awards in 2025, including Best British Game.