Paradox CEO: Bloodlines 2 still exists

In 2021, publisher Paradox Interactive announced that Vampire: The Masquerade--Bloodlines 2 would be indefinitely delayed after removing developer Hardsuit Labs from the project. Now, CEO Fredrik Wester took to Twitter to declare the sequel remains in active development. 

"It's in good hands," Wester tweeted. "We look forward to showing you more when the team and the game is ready." 

Despite that update, he added that the game would not be featured at Paradox's annual PDXCon event taking place in September. Beyond that, Wester gave no other information on the game, such as which specific studio has taken over developer duties from Hardsuit. 

Bloodlines 2's development woes run deep

Last year, following Bloodlines' delay, Paradox said the choice to hire a new developer was a "difficult decision," but necessary to "do the game justice." 

Months later, Wester admitted the sequel was close to becoming completely canceled. But the pitch given to them by the game's currently unknown developer "was convincing enough to run...we have very good hopes that it will be a good game that meets the players’ expectations.”

Developed by Troika Games, the original Vampire: The Masquerade--Bloodlines released in 2004 and became a cult classic. Bloodlines 2 was revealed in March 2019 with an expected 2020 release. It would later be delayed to 2021, during which Paradox and Hardsuit fired both its creative director Ka'ai Clunkey and lead narrative director Brian Mitsoda in 2020. 

At the time, Mitsoda explained to Rock Paper Shotgun that he wasn't involved in conversations about the game's original delay, which was partially contributed to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

After being removed from Bloodlines 2, Hardsuit laid off a number of developers, including its entire narrative team. This past March, Hardsuit ended support for its free-to-play multiplayer shooter Blacklight Retribution, and is now developing new projects, one of which will be published by Paradox.