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Creator Spotlight: Noclip And The Untold History of Arkane

If you missed previous “Creator Spotlight” videos, then you should go back and check them out. Learn about the behind-the-scenes stories of game developers with Ars Technica’s War Stories, the passionate Warhammer 40k fan project Astartes, the dissection of gameplay mechanics with Game Maker’s Toolkit, and the use of Tabletop Simulator with Shut Up & Sit Down.

Sometimes, content creators deserve a shoutout for fantastic work, and we’re happy to do it.

Which is why we’re focusing on the latest documentary from Noclip, who researched the 20-year history of Arkane Studios, traveling to Lyon, France and Austin, Texas to interview with members of the development team and to explore the journey from fledgling game studio to AAA success story.

What’s fascinating about this 80-minute documentary is not the expected analysis of the games like Dishonored and Prey that have catapulted Arkane into widespread recognition and critical acclaim. No, the most interesting tidbits are the projects that never saw the light of day.

The Crossing, which combined single-player and multiplayer into one innovative experience; LMNO, one of the forgotten video game projects of Steven Spielberg; and Ravenholm, the Half-Life spin-off that never was.

It’s all worth watching, but if you want to skip to certain parts or resume where you left off at one point, then here are the timestamps for the different games mentioned in the documentary:

0:00 - Start / 02:56 - Arx Fatalis / 05:04 - Dark Messiah / 14:21 - The Crossing / 22:00 - LMNO

33:00 - Ravenholm / 49:32 - Bioshock 2 / 56:11 - Dishonored / 1:05:31 - PREY

1:09:44 - Dishonored 2 / 1:12:00 - Ending

If you like Noclip’s work as much as I do, then consider supporting them. The group is 100% crowdfunded so gamers and fans are what enable them to deliver these enriching explorations of the industry.

You can visit Noclip on Patreon to support them.

What would you like to see Noclip research and film next? Let us know in the comments.

And stay tuned to GameTyrant for more of the latest in gaming news.