Fifteen years prior to the release of Arkane's stealth-action title Dishonored, its spiritual predecessor Thief: The Dark Project entertained a radical design idea: allowing protagonist Garrett to shrink himself to the size of a rat. This concept would have enabled the master thief to scurry through drains and other small passageways, a mechanic reminiscent of Corvo Attano's ability to possess rats in Dishonored.
Lead designer Tim Stellmach revealed the consideration in a 2018 PC Gamer magazine interview that commemorated Thief's 20th anniversary. The team ultimately decided against the shrinking ability due to practical concerns and potential design complications. "We just decided it was gonna be way too much work to do it right," Stellmach explained, adding that the mechanic also "started raising questions that we didn't want to answer."
While Stellmach did not elaborate on the nature of these unanswered questions, it is plausible they related to the core stealth gameplay. Thief is a pure stealth experience, contrasting with Dishonored, where players often have a more action-oriented "Plan B" if stealth fails. The ability to transform into a small creature might have streamlined traversal through challenging areas, but it could have also undermined the game's deliberate pacing and the inherent risk associated with Garrett's actions. The original Thief games are noted for their unforgiving nature and singular focus on stealth, creating a deeply immersive sim experience.
Thief: The Dark Project is currently slated for a remaster announced at the PC Gaming Show in June. This upcoming version, officially titled Thief: The Dark Project Remastered, will incorporate the additional missions from Thief Gold and introduce various enhancements. Artist Daniel Thron, who worked on the original Thief, has returned to assist with revamping the game's cutscenes for the remaster. A release date for the remastered version has not yet been announced.