Four years ago, Paradox Interactive teased the upcoming release of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, the sequel to the beloved cult classic RPG, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, developed by Troika Games. Initially set to release in March 2020, the game was being developed by Hardsuit Labs but was later delayed to “sometime in 2020.” Following a series of staff changes and challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the game was delayed again to 2021. However, on February 23, 2021, Paradox Interactive announced that they would remove Hardsuit Labs from the project, no longer be accepting pre-orders, and the game would be delayed indefinitely.

Since then, news on the development of Bloodlines 2 has been scarce. And like the Kindred’s hunger for blood (Kindred is the term used for vampires in the World of Darkness universe), fans were desperately hunting for proof that the project wasn’t canceled. Despite comments from Paradox Interactive saying they were still working on the project, no name was ever referenced for the studio replacing Hardsuit Labs, and no hint of a release date was to be found. Fans were beginning to lose faith that the long-awaited sequel would ever come to pass. But on June 7, 2023, an official statement on Paradox Interactive’s website stated that they would begin issuing refunds to any existing pre-orders. Some would think this a cause for concern, maybe even a sign of the game’s cancellation. But the team said that the game is coming along nicely and that more will be revealed in September.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 Refunds

When the game was first announced, several pre-order editions were made available, with more expensive editions offering a number of physical exclusive collectible items and bonus in-game content. The most expensive of these was the Collector’s Edition. Selling for $170, this version contained the base game with the basic pre-order pack, which contained the game’s digital soundtrack, pistol and saber weapon skins, and an exclusive in-game outfit. It also contained in-game content from other pre-order purchases, such as:

• in-game developer commentary
• an in-game art book
• items and outfits referencing Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines
• passes to download future expansions.

The Collector’s Edition also featured a number of physical bonuses, including:

• a detailed game map of Seattle
• a vinyl of the in-game soundtrack
• a steel book for the game’s physical case
• a PDF of the fifth edition core book for the Vampire: the Masquerade tabletop RPG
• a twenty-eight-centimeter figurine of Elif, a character heavily featured in previous trailers for the game.

This is often seen in many big titles before a game’s release, such as Fallout 76 or Cyberpunk 2077. Developers will offer consumers exclusive in-game content and physical collectible items for buying the game before the launch date, sometimes offering various, more expensive editions with more desirable extras. Paradox Interactive announced that, with the pre-order bonus content being updated, the prior physical items that came with these pre-orders are no longer representative of the game.

Paradox Interactive provided a FAQ page that explains how one could request a refund for their pre-order. All pre-order editions, except for the Collector’s Edition, can still be kept by the buyer if they choose. Paradox Interactive also provided instructions on requesting a refund through digital sales platforms such as Steam, Epic Games, or GOG.

Paradox teases September announcement

Along with the announcement regarding the pre-order refunds, Paradox Interactive said, “We’re excited to show you more and hope to have all of you with us in September when we reveal more.” While fans have been assured that the development team has been hard at work creating the vampire game they are so eager to play, the name of the development team continues to remain a mystery, along with the release date. Paradox Interactive has promised to reveal more information on both in September of 2023. In the meantime, fans have been teased with a small collection of in-game screenshots to sink their fangs into.

While no name for the development studio has been officially given, that hasn’t stopped investigative fans from doing their research. After Paradox Interactive parted ways with Hardsuit Labs, fans speculated that a small number of studios could have the potential to pick up where they left off. One of the current theories is that the baton has been passed to UK indie studio The Chinese Room.

About five months ago, Joe Apsey published an article on The Loadout stating that a Reddit user named Ros96 spotted a menu in an interview posted on the studio’s YouTube channel which looked identical to the one seen in gameplay in 2019. In addition, The Chinese Room has been hiring extensively over the last year for various positions, including for a triple-A project in Unreal Engine 4. The studio has also sought a Game Director with “experience of and interest in relevant genres such as first-person games, narrative, action-adventure, RPG, horror.” Many have pointed out that all these qualities match the ones we know apply to Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines 2.

What does this mean for Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2?

Given everything we’ve heard from official press statements and independent journalists, it sounds like development for Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is going strong, and a release date could be revealed soon. All evidence points to a big reveal happening in September, with pre-order bonus content being updated for those who choose to keep their pre-orders. Fans are encouraged to watch Paradox Interactive’s social media channels, including Twitter and Discord, for all the latest updates.