Like the dread Ur-Shulgi stirring from centuries of torpor to cast down the enemies of the Banu Haqim, Vampire: the Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has returned from the dead to, uh, send a tweet. And make a news post. And tease further updates in September! The prophets told us this day would come.
Earlier today, the official Vampire: the Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 account tweeted, cryptically, "Rise, Kindred, and join us in September for a big announcement!" Not exactly scintillating, even if that was the first tweet on the account since it was purged of content sometime in the last year.
Rise, Kindred, and join us in September for a big announcement! pic.twitter.com/RdmJY7pbgAJune 7, 2023
But we did get a link to a news post and an FAQ on Paradox's website in subsequent tweets, where the company announced some of the announcements it would be announcing at its September announcement, and also let us know that everyone who pre-ordered a physical edition of the game—including its collector's edition—would be getting a refund whether they want one or not.
It's been over two years since the game's original development studio, Hardsuit Labs, was dropped from the project, and it looks like we'll finally find out which dev has replaced it at the event: "The team has been hard at work creating the vampire game you are eager to play and we’re excited to announce the studio in September," says Paradox.
The publisher says it will also "share more information about the launch" at the announcement too, although it doesn't sound like it'll be anything so solid as a release date.
As for refunds, Paradox is offering them to everyone, but only physical pre-orders are being refunded proactively. Why? Because the bonus content accompanying Bloodlines 2's various editions is being updated as part of whatever the new version is going to be, meaning "the prior physical edition offered items that are no longer representative of the game".
Frankly, with how much of a nightmare it sounds like development has been, I wonder if Paradox even wants to put out a physical version at all at this point. If you're after a refund on any edition of the game, you can find out how to get it over at Paradox's site.
And that's your lot, unless you want to check out a set of five new, moody screenshots Paradox has put out to accompany today's news. At this point, I have no idea how I feel about this game. The sudden termination of Brian Mitsoda—of original Bloodlines fame—and the departure of Cara Ellison, plus the general chaos around who is actually making it, does not fill me with hope. Still, it's been two years of relative radio silence, and miracles do sometimes happen. Maybe September will cure me of my doubts.
