As the months go by, it seems we’re getting further and further away from Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. The supernatural RPG would originally be launched in 2020 before being delayed in 2021. Now publisher Paradox Interactive says that will not happen either. But the real shock? Paradox removes developer Hardsuit Labs from Bloodlines 2 and will complete the project with another studio.
“We have now chosen to postpone the game’s release further, and we will not launch the game in 2021,” Paradox said in their earnings report at the end of the year. “We also decided that Hardsuit Labs would no longer lead the development of Bloodlines 2, and we started a collaboration with a new studio partner to complete the work on the game. It was a difficult decision, but we are convinced that it is the right way forward to make the game right. ‘
It seems like Bloodlines 2 has been in trouble for some time. Shortly after the first delay was announced last year, Paradox revealed that they had fired the narrator of the game, Brian Mitsoda, and the creative director, Ka’ai Cluney. Mitsoda was the cornerstone of the claim to the legitimacy of the sequel, because he was a writer and designer.
Paradox gives no indication of who may be developing the game now, nor does it mention a new release date. A statement on the Bloodlines 2 website said: “As we are unable to announce a new release date at this time, we have also decided not to accept any more pre-orders. (Although the website was available for interview at the time of publication.)
So, will Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 ever come out? Who knows! Lauren was hoping we’d hear a bit of that at Paradox Interactive’s next game window in March. Even though this nice junk news is being given, I can not imagine that they want it on everyone’s radars at the moment.
Disclosure: Former RPS columnist Cara Ellison was previously a narrative designer on Bloodlines 2.