Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 delayed again as it switches developers
Paradox say they've "started a collaboration with a new studio partner to finish work on the game"
As the months go by, it seems we're getting further and further from Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 ever coming out. The supernatural RPG was originally supposed to launch in 2020, before being delayed into 2021. Now publisher Paradox Interactive say that won't be happening either. But the real shock? Paradox are removing developer Hardsuit Labs from Bloodlines 2, and will be finishing the project with a different studio.
"We have now chosen to postpone the release of the game further, and we will not be launching the game in 2021," Paradox say in in their end-of-year earnings report. "We have also decided that Hardsuit Labs will no longer be leading the development of Bloodlines 2, and we have started a collaboration with a new studio partner to finish work on the game. This has been a difficult decision, but we are convinced that it is the right way forward to do the game justice."
It seems like Bloodlines 2 has been in a fair bit of trouble for a while now. Shortly after announcing the first delay last year, Paradox revealed they'd fired the game's narrative lead, Brian Mitsoda, and creative director, Ka'ai Cluney. Mitsoda was the cornerstone of the sequel's claims to legitimacy, having been a writer and designer on the original.
Paradox give no indication as to who might be developing the game now, and make no mention of a new release date either. A statement on the Bloodlines 2 website says: "Since we cannot at this time communicate a new release date, we've also decided to stop accepting pre-orders for the time being." (Though at the time this post was published, the website was down for maintenance.)
So, will Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 ever come out? Who knows! Lauren was hoping we might hear a little about it at Paradox Interactive's next game showcase in March. Though given this pretty rubbish news, I can't imagine they would want it on everyone's radars at the moment.
