[5] Corvo was initially not intended to be playable in Dishonored 2, but was included alongside his daughter, Emily Kaldwin, due to nostalgia for the character by the development team.

[6] When designing his outfit for Dishonored 2, developer Sergei Kolesov wanted it to make sense for his position in society while reflecting his return to being an assassin.

[8] Giving him a voice also creative narrative contrast, according to Harvey Smith, to Emily, explaining that they have different experiences due to multiple factors.

As creative director Harvey Smith addressed the dilemma posed by the interaction between the two, saying Corvo was "wondering how long he can keep protecting his daughter ...

[12]: 126–7  He also appears in the leading role in a comic mini-series by Gordon Rennie and Andrea Olimpieri, entitled Dishonored: The Wyrmwood Deceit, released August 3 through October 19, 2016.

[15][16] The series is set twelve years after the conclusion of the events of the first game, and centers on his attempts to find an apprentice to serve as his heir.

[21] In their book, The Dark Side of Game Play, Mortensen, Linderoth, and Brown examine Corvo and his in-game actions as a motif revolving around vengeance.

They continue, emphasizing that vengeance is, "connected to a dark emotion because it is associated with a negative and often powerful sensation about wanting and believing that retaliation will make up for the injustice caused".

[23] In another article Rath, with contributions by Dr. Stephen Banks of the University of Reading, looked at Corvo's actions through the lens of British 18th and 19th century honor culture.