Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, already five years in development, has been delayed once again and won’t be arriving until the first half of 2025.
This bloodsucking action RPG sequel has had a troubled history, to say the least. Announced in 2019, it was scheduled for a 2020 release. Developed by Hardsuit Labs, Publisher Paradox Interactive later took it out of their hands and gave it to The Chinese Room, the team behind Still Wakes the Deep and more.
But now, Paradox and The Chinese Room have confirmed that they’re extending their development time. In a new developer update (which goes out of its way not to mention the word “delay”), the two explain the thinking behind pushing the game back.
The general explanation the update gives, along with Paradox’s website post, is that the game, currently in a “..late production phase,” needs more polish. That’s based partly on feedback from the game’s internal playtest, and comments from the gameplaying public.
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So, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has been delayed from its most recent Fall 2024 release date (one of several times it’s been delayed) to the first half of 2025. That means we could be getting it as late as June, though Paradox Interactive will no doubt want to ship it while people still remember it exists. Sure, Dead Island 2 survived an eight-year delay and three different developers, but it doesn’t fill me with confidence.
The good news is that the game will be receiving extra endings, double the original amount planned. I’m hoping there’s at least one where, as in the original Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, you give the whole Camarilla the finger and just walk off.
Could the game be delayed again? It’s possible, but Paradox Interactive has given itself a big release window to work with. Let’s hope that this time next year, we’re all sinking our teeth into mortal necks and playing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2.