The Chinese Room is developing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
Fangtastic.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 will release in late 2024 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
The game - which tells "a vampire story set in modern Seattle reimagined for World of Darkness" - is now in development at celebrated indie studio The Chinese Room, of Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture fame.
First announced back in 2019, the project has had a tumultuous journey to date, with publisher Paradox Interactive previously ditching developer Hardsuit Labs following a number of controversies and almost cancelling the game, before settling on a - then-unannounced - new studio to take on the title instead.
A new teaser trailer above gives us a flavour of what's to come - but The Chinese Room says it'll have gameplay to reveal in January 2024, and the game is expected to release in the fall/autumn that same year (that's Q3 for our friends in the southern hemisphere).
"Embrace your inner Kindred and join us in Seattle for the long-awaited Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines 2," teases the video trailer. "Find your place in the battle to come, and try not to let the city bleed you dry. Coming fall 2024."
The successor to the cult-classic Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, Bloodlines 2 takes place in the "dark underbelly of Seattle, where vampires struggle for survival and supremacy". Players assume the role of an Elder vampire through which you'll get to meet intriguing characters, stalk the streets, engage in combat, and "manoeuvre complex political relationships".
"Throughout the game, players must always be mindful of their surroundings or risk breaking the Masquerade - the absolute law of secrecy that keeps vampire society hidden from humanity," explains the team.
"Vampire: The Masquerade holds a special place in our hearts. The story world's dark setting filled with intricate narratives built on top of modern society perfectly fits our studio's catalogue," says Ed Daly, studio director at The Chinese Room.
"Bloodlines 2 is our most ambitious project to date. Fans of the franchise have been eagerly awaiting this game, and we are up to the challenge. We are bringing more than 15 years of award-winning experience to the project, creating a game that honours the legacy of its predecessor while bringing its gameplay to the modern era."