Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is getting free enhanced edition upgrade, PS5 release

Ninja Theory’s award-winning 2024 action game, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, is getting a substantial free update later this year. The Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced update will add new graphical and performance options and improvements to photo mode. The developers have also confirmed the return of the first game’s Dark Rot feature, an optional permadeath mode in which the player has only a limited number of deaths before all progress is lost, as well as a release on PS5 after over a year of Xbox and PC exclusivity.

Ninja Theory details what we can expect from the upcoming update in a post on the Xbox website. Firstly, the Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced update will “push real-time visuals to deliver rich, believable environments and characters” in the form of a new “very high” graphical setting in the options menu on PC. On consoles, Xbox Series X owners will see a performance boost to 60 frames-per-second This update won’t just make the game pop on high-end systems, however; when the update is released, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II will also be Steam Deck verified, allowing Steam Deck owners to experience Senua’s journey on the go.

The Dark Rot is also coming to Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. In the first game, this was exhibited as a dark corruption on protagonist Senua’s arm that slowly spread with every death, albeit without actual gameplay consequences. In the sequel, the developer promises that it will function as an actual permadeath mode. “The Dark Rot will grow each time you fail, and if it reaches Senua’s head, her quest is over and all progress will be lost,” write the developers in the announcement post. Fortunately, it is confirmed as entirely optional, so players can disable it if they wish.

Furthermore, the update will include developer commentary from the Ninja Theory team, cast and collaborators. We can also expect photo mode enhancements, including “an enhanced set of tools” and “an all-new ‘Motion’ tab for custom cinematic video capture“, giving players plenty of tools to exhibit their gameplay online.

Fortunately, fans don’t have too much longer to wait for this free update. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Enhanced will be arriving on PC and Xbox Series X/S as a free update on the 12th of August 2025. On the same day, the game will become available for purchase on PS5, following the lead of the likes of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle as former Xbox exclusives becoming multiplatform releases.