Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 has been re-revealed for autumn 2024

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, the sequel that seems to have been plagued by misfortune, has recently unveiled a new trailer. We now finally know the identity of the new developer, namely the UK-based studio Chinese Room, which has taken the reins from the previous studio that was removed from the project in 2021. Chinese Room is renowned for their notable works such as Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, with Bloodlines 2 standing as their most ambitious endeavor to date.

The trailer serves as a fresh start, providing us with a brief glimpse into the game, a vague idea of the release timeframe, and introducing us to the new team working on it. Surprisingly, despite all the behind-the-scenes delays, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is now aiming for a release in autumn 2024.

This announcement was made alongside a new trailer at PAX West. Although it may not be as extensive as our previous glimpses into the game, it demonstrates that The Chinese Room's interpretation of Bloodlines 2 aligns with what we have seen before.

Previous abilities showcased in a 2019 gameplay trailer are taken into account here, such as forcefully pushing aside your enemies and soaring through the city. There even appear to be some new vampire powers, as evidenced by various moves that can be learned based on one's playstyle. There are swift strikes, area-of-effect abilities, and even a move that literally tears someone's face off. The unlocking mechanism for these abilities remains unclear, but as we approach the 2024 release window, we can expect to see more of them demonstrated.

Naturally, new gameplay footage is not the only notable aspect here. Today's presentation also confirms that the enigmatic company that took over Hardsuit Labs' development is The Chinese Room. It remains unclear how long the team has been working on Bloodlines 2 and to what extent they have adopted Hardsuit's work, if at all. However, in a trailer introducing the new team, the developers are eager to present the project as their own game. As a result, we can anticipate some significant changes compared to previous versions.

Given their previous work on narrative-driven walking simulators, The Chinese Room devotes a significant amount of time to discussing the game's story. The developers state that it strikes a balance between "the grittiness of our world and the romanticism of vampires." They also emphasize the role-playing aspects, expressing that we will have the opportunity to explore what kind of vampire we want to be, as we could in the first game all those years ago.

It is unclear why the publisher, Paradox Interactive, seemingly did not believe that the previous developer, Hardsuit, could complete their own version of the game, especially considering it had been in development for years. Unfortunately, the removal of Hardsuit from the project led to massive layoffs at the studio.

As for The Chinese Room's version, we can expect it to be released on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC as originally planned. However, it is not clear whether it will still be available for PS4 and Xbox One, platforms for which it was initially announced.