One of the most compelling recent mysteries in game development has been the tumultuous journey of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, particularly concerning Hardsuit Labs’ initial vision. The game’s 2019 announcement was met with immense excitement, largely due to the involvement of Brian Mitsoda, the revered writer behind the original Bloodlines, who was set to lead the narrative for the sequel. A release was planned for the following year, but the project’s trajectory soon shifted dramatically. By 2020, both Mitsoda and creative director Ka’ai Cluney were unexpectedly dismissed. The following year, in 2021, Hardsuit Labs was entirely removed from the project. The silence was finally broken in 2023 when Paradox announced that The Chinese Room had taken the reins, intending a complete overhaul of the game’s mechanics and systems.
Brian Mitsoda Reflects on Bloodlines 2 Departure
Recently, in a candid blog post, Brian Mitsoda finally offered a window into his perspective on the project and his abrupt departure. He clarified that he has maintained no contact with the new developers or the publisher since his dismissal. Regarding the fate of his work on Bloodlines 2, Mitsoda acknowledged that his narrative team’s contributions were replaced, though he remains in the dark about the specifics, stating he doesn’t “actually know anything further.” He referenced a telling blog post by The Chinese Room’s Dan Pinchbeck, who explicitly wrote, “I knew I wanted to write the [Bloodlines 2] story too, we’d never been a studio that were going to finish someone else’s work.” Mitsoda interprets this as “the reason given for replacing what my narrative team did.” While expressing profound sadness over the situation, he accepts its inevitability, concluding, “I’m proud of the work the team did and loved the things they wrote.”
Mitsoda’s Specific Contributions and Public Role for Hardsuit’s Bloodlines 2
During his tenure, Mitsoda’s role as narrative lead was expansive. His duties encompassed “designing quests and dialogue tools, co-direction and casting for voice acting, conceiving/writing/scripting the characters, and running the narrative department.” While not the ultimate project lead, he became an unwitting public face for the game, notably appearing on stage during its announcement. Mitsoda clarified that he undertook these public relations duties at the request of the developers, leveraging his established connection to the original Bloodlines to generate excitement. “I was asked to do that PR even though it’s unusual for narrative leads alone and I felt if fans wanted me to I would do it for the good of the game,” he recalled. He made no secret of his dislike for this public-facing aspect, plainly stating, “I like to make things instead.”
Despite the challenging experience of his deep involvement in a project that ultimately jettisoned his work, Mitsoda is resolutely looking ahead. He is currently immersed in two new ventures: a AAA project and an independent game. While open to revisiting game direction “when the offer is good enough” in the future, his present focus is unequivocally on creation. As he succinctly puts it, “But right now I’m happy just making and releasing games.”