Vampire – The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2: Publisher is already not in the mood for part 3

The development history of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 so far is, to put it mildly, a bit complicated and difficult. In an interview with PC Gamer, Paradox Interactive’s deputy CEO Mattias Lilja reveals that this probably also has an impact on the team. There shouldn’t be a third part – at least not with Paradox.

First announced in 2019, the title had reportedly been in development at Hard Suit for four years. The planned release in 2020 became 2021 and finally postponed indefinitely. Development was then put in the hands of The Chinese Room, who are actually mainly known for walking simulators like Dear Esther and Everbody’s Gone to the Rapture. The project was probably about to be canceled there and we only have Paradox Interactive to thank for the fact that there is still hope.

“Had we not found The Chinese Room and seen what they did with the early work [die Kündigung] “It was the next logical step because we couldn’t continue as before,” reveals Lilja in an interview PC Gamer

However, the release was recently postponed again. This time for the year 2025. Lilja still gives the players hope for the title:

“It’s been in development for a long time, but we’re starting to see the game evolve into something… that we think will be a World of Darkness experience.”

If that doesn’t sound like effusive praise, then it’s not because of the German translation. Lilja seems very reserved when it comes to Bloodlines 2. And that probably also has an impact on a potential third part.

“It’s not in our strategic direction to make this kind of game,” says Lilja. “So if Bloodlines 2 is successful, God willing, Bloodlines 3 will be made by someone else who will be licensed by us. I would say that’s the strategic way this would work. So it’s still an outlier from what we’re supposed to do, we don’t know about this stuff so we should probably let other people do it.”

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At least that’s an honest and open admission. So let’s hope that we get our hands on Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 next year and that it doesn’t remain the last part of the series.