10 Years After Its Last Attempt, a New Thief Reboot Could Be More Important Than Ever

A stealth series set in a dark fantasy world, Thief made its debut in 1998 with Thief: The Dark Project, a game that earned universal acclaim upon release, both from critics and from stealth video game fans. Putting players in the silent boots of the titular master thief, Garrett, Thief: The Dark Project sees players sneak around a variety of Middle-Ages-inspired structures, from manor houses to castles to some more fantastical environments, and steal an assortment of riches. A simple premise, Thief: The Dark Project and its two sequels – 2000’s Thief: The Metal Age and 2004’s Thief: Deadly Shadows – thrive on their high level of player freedom, letting the player complete objectives in any order and any way they see fit.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest stealth video game franchises of all time, it’s only natural that fans wanted a continuation of the Thief series after its third entry in 2004, and ten years later, fans got exactly that. Originally intended to be a sequel before being reworked into a reboot, Thief was released on March 25 2014 in North America, and its legacy is primarily one of disappointment and failed potential. But Thief wasn’t all bad, and now, 10 years after its release, it acts as a reminder of what the industry has lost, and what it could have again.

10 Years Later, It’s Time for a New Thief Reboot

Thief 2014 Wasn’t As Bad As Many Remember

When Thief launched all the way back in 2014, many critics praised large portions of the game, claiming that the game’s stealth and improved movement mechanics were major highlights. Thief‘s critical reception was mixed at worst, with the game still averaging a 70 on Metacritic for its PC version, which is far from the disastrous position that may appear now.

2014’s Thief reboot was far from a great game, but it had its moments of brilliance. Unfortunately, despite some solid sales numbers, a fifth installment of the Thief franchise never entered full production. Now the franchise is in Embracer Group’s controversial hands, with the company acquiring Eidos and the Thief IP back in May 2022. But despite Embracer’s recent track record, all hope isn’t lost for Thief, and a new reboot could hold more significance than any entry that’s come before it.

A New Thief Game Could Revitalize The Stealth Genre

The stealth video game genre is pretty much gone at this point, at least in its original form. After games like Metal Gear Solid, Splinter Cell, and Thief popularized the stealth genre back in the 1990s and early 2000s, the gaming industry quickly pivoted to more cinematic, action-focused titles, and as gaming technology continued to evolve, the demand for these types of blockbuster experiences only continued to grow, gradually pushing out smaller-scale, slower-paced stealth games in favor of large-scale bombastic adventures.

In the current gaming landscape, stealth only really lives on as an optional gameplay style, where the extent of the game’s stealth mechanics are simple one-hit takedowns and janky detection meters. But that’s not to say that the stealth genre doesn’t have its modern-day champions. Games like Hitman, Alien Isolation, and even last year’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage have all tried to keep the stealth genre alive, and they’ve all done a good job of it. But if the stealth genre is going to make a major comeback then it needs something big, a flagship title that’s synonymous with the stealth genre, and a high-quality, AAA Thief reboot would fit the bill perfectly.