Bloodlines 2 Development Could Be In Jeopardy

Bloodlines 2 development could be in jeopardy as last week it was announced that the Narrative Lead, Brian Mitsoda, was suddenly terminated from his position on the game. Brian was actually a Lead writer on the original Vampire: the Masquerade – Bloodlines game. In a statement sent to Rock, Paper, Shotgun He stated:

That this all came a shock to me as is underselling it.

With having a history with the classic Tabletop RPG turned videogame, back when it was made by Troika Games; Brian was seen as a great sign for this game being given the respect and attention it deserved. It goes without question that the original Vampire: the Masquerade is a cult classic and the excitement for a sequel has been exciting news for that fandom. This also comes along side news that Ka’ai Cluney the creative director on Bloodlines 2 has also left the project. In a joint statement from Hardsuit Labs and Paradox Interactive the had the following to say in regards to the departures “We appreciate, and value, the contributions of Brian and Ka’ai, which were instrumental in establishing the game’s storyline and dark tone and have helped to ensure that we are making a true successor to the iconic Bloodlines. We wish them both the best in their future endeavors,” the statement continues. Bloodlines 2 has seen many delays in it’s development, With the most recent one stating it will now be pushed back to 2021, which you can see down below posted to twitter: https://twitter.com/VtM_Bloodlines/status/1293064749157167105 Along with the loss of Brian and Ka’ai, Parasox announced that there are organizational changes being made and bringing Alexandre Mandryka in as a Creative consultant on the project, “Alexandre has been in the industry for more than 20 years and has worked on iconic franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Warhammer 40,000, Far Cry, and more.” With a post like that and words as such it seem more like they are trying to replace Ka’ais’ involvement on the project than Brian’s. You can read his entire Statement sent to Rock, Paper, Shotgun down below: Here is Brian Mitsoda’s statement in full:

Until recently, I was the Narrative Lead on a videogame called Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 for Hardsuit Labs, Inc being published by Paradox Interactive (which owns 30% of Hardsuit Labs). After almost five years involvement with the studio, I was suddenly terminated on 7/16/20.

That this came as a shock to me is underselling it. I’ve worked on Bloodlines 2 for almost five years. The story and main cast was initially conceived in my living room. I helped develop the pitch for Hardsuit Labs and helped pitch the project to Paradox in Las Vegas. I’ve been in charge of the narrative since the beginning, working long days and sometimes weekends to deliver a successor to Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, and I’ve never been led to believe that I hadn’t succeeded. Very obviously, I have also been involved in the PR and marketing side of things, even though it was one of the most difficult parts for me. I’m a pretty private person – press and crowds tend to heavily trigger my social anxiety (which, if you’ve ever wondered about the gloves, they are “armor” that make me feel less exposed in situations that trigger my anxiety).

Bloodlines and the fandom of the game mean the world to me. So I lent my legacy with the franchise, my name, and my participation in marketing efforts for the game, even when it was intensely difficult and took a mental and physical toll. This is all because I wanted to do what was best for the game and the team.

The pride in the work, the fan expectations, and the support from co-workers who started out as fans kept me going through this long five years. And I’m incredibly disappointed and frustrated to say that this is where it ends for me on the project.

I was not part of the conversations that led to the decision to delay production, and to my knowledge, there were no delays caused by the Bloodlines 2 narrative development. I am confident and proud of the work that I and my team put forward. When that work will be seen and what form it will take is unknown to me.

It was a pleasure to work on this game and with many people at Hardsuit Labs and Paradox and I’m sorry I won’t be able to see it to the end. I spent years on some of the best characters and dialogue that I ever wrote. It’s meant a lot to hear from the Bloodlines community and I do hope that what’s finally delivered is as satisfying as I intended it to be. Thanks to all of you who supported me throughout the project.”

Is this bad signs for Bloodlines 2 development, tell us your thoughts down below.   -Jess (@Bloodieknux)