Community Feedback Leads to Positive Changes for Bloodlines 2
In a welcome turn of events for fans, Paradox Interactive has announced a significant change to its plans for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. Following strong criticism from players, the publisher has decided against offering two clans as paid downloadable content (DLC) and will now include all six playable clans in the base game from day one.
Originally, the standard version of Bloodlines 2 was set to feature only four clans: Ventrue, Tremere, Brujah, and Banu Haqim. The remaining two clans, Lasombra and Toreador, were intended to be sold as a day-one DLC, a decision that sparked considerable backlash and disappointment among the community. Players voiced their frustration widely, making it clear that locking core gameplay choices behind a paywall, especially at launch, was unacceptable.
Responding to this overwhelming feedback, Paradox Interactive and developer The Chinese Room have revised their approach. Now, players who purchase the standard edition of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 will have access to all six clans, offering a complete and rich experience from the start.
New Content for Premium Edition Owners
So, what does this mean for those who pre-ordered or planned to buy the premium edition, which previously included the now-free clan DLCs? The Chinese Room is pleased to confirm that premium edition owners will instead receive two substantial story expansions. These DLCs will introduce new narratives featuring Sheriff Benny and Primogen Isabella, enriching the game's lore and extending its replayability.
These story expansions are planned for release in the second and third quarters of next year and will also be available for individual purchase. This new content offers a more traditional and value-added approach to post-launch support, focusing on expanding the game's world and narrative rather than segmenting core gameplay features.
Marco Behrmann, Executive Vice President of White Wolf and Executive Producer for Bloodlines 2, expressed gratitude for the community's input: “Thanks to our community for the frank feedback on Bloodlines 2 and its premium edition. Your criticism made it clear: Lasombra and Toreador should be in the base game. We also want to thank The Chinese Room for quickly developing concepts for the story expansions that will appear after release. We never cease to admire their creativity and skill in crafting engaging stories that will only enrich the main storyline of Bloodlines 2.”
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is scheduled to launch on October 21 for PC (via Steam, GOG, and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, complete with text localization.
This change signifies a positive outcome of player engagement, demonstrating that strong community feedback can indeed influence development decisions and lead to a more player-friendly game release.
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