Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 delayed, now releasing in 2021

(Image credit: Paradox)

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 has been delayed and is now set to release sometime in 2021. 

Hardsuit Labs and Paradox interactive released a statement on Twitter announcing the decision to push back the release of the upcoming sequel to the 2004 cult classic vampire RPG. 

"Our goal has always been to deliver the best game possible, to immerse you into a Seattle re-imagined in the World of Darkness, and deliver a worthy successor to the original Bloodlines game. 

Due to the quality bar and ambitions we have set for ourselves, we have made the difficult decision that we need more time. This means our goal to release in 2020 is no longer possible. Moving launch is one of the changes we are making to ensure the best player experience possible." 

This isn't the first time Bloodlines 2 has been pushed back. Originally set for a 2019 release, it was later delayed to 2020 in the hope of avoiding repeating the "past mistakes" of the first game, which had a pretty buggy launch. During an Inside Xbox stream earlier in the year, we learned that the bloodsucking adventure will be coming to the Xbox Series X with Smart Delivery compatibility. Also due to release on the PS5, the sequel is still set to arrive on current-gen platforms. 

With many teaser trailers and blog updates, Hardsuit Labs has already introduced a number of different vampiric factions and set the scene for the role you'll be playing in Bloodlines 2. As a newly sired vampire who finds themselves caught up in the dark underbelly of Seattle's vampire society, you're thrown into the midst of the conflict between the different factions and it's up to you to decide how you handle each and every situation. 

While we don't know when exactly in 2021 Bloodlines 2 will release just yet, the developers close the statement by saying that more information will be shared in the coming months. 

"We understand that this will be a disappointment to many of you, but we also appreciate how our ambition is echoed through many parts of the community. We hope you understand that, while difficult, this is the right call. We thank you for your patience while we continue to build Bloodlines 2." 

Keep track of all of the latest releases on the horizons with our list of upcoming games 2020

Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.