Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 Was Nearly Canceled After Its Last Delay

While the future of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is unknown, the game almost didn't have one at all according to Swedish outlet Nyhetsbyrån Direkt. In its report, Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester said that there was a point during the game's transition between studios that "we were actually prepared to close the production completely."

According to Wester, who took Paradox's reins this past September after former CEO Ebba Ljungerud stepped down, the company was presented with a "pitch" that was "convincing enough to run." The direction this pitch left Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2's development in is a mystery, although it seems like a miracle that the game is still in development at all.

Since its announcement in April 2019, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 has faced a troubled development cycle. The game was delayed once to 2020, then again to 2021, and was finally delayed indefinitely this past February. Bloodlines 2's last delay also came with news that the studio working on the game, Hardsuit Labs, would be taken off the project. Nearly eight months later, it's not clear what studio is currently developing the game, though Wester claimed in the report that it is "a very reputable and talented developer."

Soon after being taken off of development for Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, Hardsuit Labs went through a massive round of layoffs. Numerous developers, including a large amount of the studio's narrative department, were let go.

At the time of writing, it's not clear when Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 will be released or when the developer currently working on the game will be publicly revealed.