During Gamescom 2025, new details about Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 surfaced in an interview with The Chinese Room’s developers. The team shared insights into both the game’s estimated playtime and significant narrative decisions that shaped the upcoming release.
Design Director Jey Hicks explained that the campaign length will vary depending on how players approach the game. According to Hicks, a straightforward run focused mainly on the main story could take around 20–25 hours, while players who choose to explore side quests and additional content may see their playthrough extend closer to 40 hours.
“We’ve been adding in a lot of new content recently,” Hicks said. “For players who move quickly through the main story, the experience might be 20 to 25 hours, but completionists who engage with everything can expect closer to 40.”
The developers also highlighted a major late-stage design shift that redefined one of the game’s central elements. Narrative Director Ian Thomas revealed that the Malkavian presence inside protagonist Phyre’s head—Fabien—wasn’t part of the original vision. This change, introduced only a few years ago, proved essential for balancing tone and storytelling.
“We wanted to bring the Malkavian clan into the story in a meaningful way,” Thomas explained. “The idea of placing Fabien in Phyre’s head gave us a dynamic contrast. You have this older vampire who’s detached from humanity alongside Fabien, who is deeply curious about the world. It created a strong pairing that clicked once we had the right voice performance.”
Hicks added that the adjustment was one of the reasons behind Bloodlines 2’s development delay, stating it was important to ensure players connected with Fabien as more than just another inner voice. “It was a worthwhile decision to take the extra time,” Hicks said.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 launches on October 21, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Source: Wccftech
