This news makes even Dracula come out of his coffin: Bloodlines 2 is coming later than expected, moreover, it is now known who is developing the role-playing game.
Ouch! No, don’t worry, we weren’t bitten by a vampire. Something much worse has happened: Bloodlines 2 is being delayed again. The newest part of the role-playing game series Vampire: The Masquerade will not be released until next year.
There is one more piece of news: whether it is good or bad, fans have to decide for themselves. The fact is that it is now known which development studio is now working on the role-playing game. We summarise the new information for you.
Release not until 2024
Just a few days ago we reported that Bloodlines 2 could be released as early as October 2023, according to the eagerly bubbling rumour mill. Now we know: Fiddlesticks!
In fact, we have to wait another whole year. The official release date is now given as autumn 2024. How do we know that? Well, it’s in the brand new trailer for Vampire Fun. Yeah well, alright, we’ll show it to you before we go on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6b6LGubq6I
Is the development odyssey now coming to an end?
Autumn 2024 then – even if this release date is met this time, Bloodlines would come to market with a lot of delay. Announced in 2019, the vampire role-playing game should have been released as early as March 2020.
Nothing came of it. Brian Mitsoda (Lead Writer) and Creative Director Ka’ai Cluney, who were already involved in the predecessors, had to take their hats. The development studio Hardsuit Labs was pulled from the project. Since then there was mostly radio silence and no one really knew who was actually working on Bloodlines 2.
This is over now: The new trailer reveals that The Chinese Room is responsible for the role-playing game. They have built up a good reputation especially with the adventure games Dear Esther and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture as well as the horror game Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
In conversation with (PC Gamer) the now responsible Creative Director Alex Skidmore has commented on the changes compared to the game variant of the old developers.
The setting remains the same: The new vampire story is still set in pre-Christmas Seattle. According to Skidmore,a significant portion of the graphics and level design could be reused
Under the bonnet, however, the game relies on a new codebase with different game mechanics and RPG systems
What changes is the game character: Instead of a blood young vampire, you play an already experienced biter who wakes up after a very long period of sleep and has to find his way in this new environment. Skidmore explains:
We don’t want it to be just some kind of bad homage or pastiche to Bloodlines 1. We want it to be something completely our own. We’re not doing what Bloodlines 1 did, which is the beginning of a traditional RPG game: on the first day you’re a vampire. The actual character you are has been a vampire for some time. And that should create a different Bloodlines experience.
So lots of new info on Bloodlines 2. Will everything end well for thirsty fans this time? Or will this new attempt also go wrong? What do you think? Are you looking forward to the role-playing game and have you played the predecessors? If so, how much did you like them? We are curious about your opinion, so feel free to write it in the comments!
