Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 Gets Release Date Amidst Wave of Criticism

The Anticipated Return of Vampires: Bloodlines 2 with a Fixed Release Date and a Strong Wave of Criticism

At one of the most prestigious events in the gaming industry, Gamescom: Opening Night Live, the British developer The Chinese Room officially revealed the long-awaited release date for Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2. The sequel to the cult classic RPG, whose original edition enjoys a huge following among fans, will make its debut on October 21, 2025.

Unlike the first installment, which came out more than 20 years ago, the new title will be available simultaneously on multiple platforms: for personal computers (PC) through the digital stores Steam, GOG, and Epic Games Store, as well as for the latest-generation consoles, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. With the announcement of the date, the company immediately started pre-orders, allowing the most eager fans to secure a copy of the game even before its release.

Despite the high anticipation, the news was quickly soured by strong dissatisfaction from the gaming community. The developers will offer several versions of the game — standard, extended, and a special edition called Shadows & Silk. The latter two will include additional content. However, it was this practice that drew serious criticism, as it became clear that two of the six main playable clans would be sold separately as paid downloadable content (DLC). The decision was seen by many fans as greed and an attempt to extract more money from the loyal audience that has been waiting for the sequel for more than two decades.

The Gamescom presentation also included a new trailer showing gameplay scenes. The public's reaction in the comments sections under the video was predominantly negative. Many expressed deep disappointment not only with the paid content policy but also with the apparent technical state of the game. Users widely complained about visual bugs, stiff animations, and a lack of detail to justify expectations. "I sympathize with the fans who waited so long" read one of the comments, which summed up the general mood of disappointment and bitterness among the community.

The first impressions from journalists who had the opportunity to test Bloodlines 2 were also not particularly encouraging. According to their assessments, the title can hardly be described as a complex RPG, which the original was. In their reports, they point out that the world looks static and lifeless, and essential options for the genre, such as a detailed character editor, are missing.

Despite the rising wave of criticism and the visible shortcomings, the fact remains that for a part of the audience, the mere release of the sequel after more than 20 years of waiting is reason enough for excitement. They hope that, despite everything, the game will manage to capture at least some of the magic of the original and justify the long wait.