Vampire: The Masquerade Archives

AppWizard

April 5, 2026

In 2007, two game music GOATs collaborated on the criminally underrated soundtrack to a similarly underrated D&D RPG

Critical Hit, formerly Soundtrack Sunday, explores video game music and audio design, highlighting titles like Neverwinter Nights, which has a dedicated fanbase. The first expansion of Neverwinter Nights 2, Mask of the Betrayer, is noted for its mature narrative and impactful music, which plays a significant role in the game's atmosphere. Brandon, the audio director at Obsidian during the late 2000s, discussed the development of Mask of the Betrayer and its soundtrack, which he collaborated on with Womb Music's Rik Schaffer and Margaret Tang. The main theme of Mask of the Betrayer is described as mysterious and epic, with a darker reinterpretation for the DLC. The theme for Mulsantir captures the city's duality, blending inviting and sinister elements. Brandon aimed to encapsulate the medieval sound of Dungeons & Dragons, resulting in a soundtrack that enhances gameplay and leaves a lasting impression on players.

AppWizard

March 27, 2026

There’s nothing ‘euro’ about ‘eurojank,’ says Stalker dev—after all, what are some of the 2000s’ best RPGs if not beautiful all-American jankfests?

Many gamers are attracted to "eurojank," a term describing beloved but imperfect games that emphasize creativity and ambition, such as Stalker, The Witcher, and Mount & Blade. The 2004 RPG Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines remains popular due to fan patches, highlighting its lasting impact. Andrii Verpakhovskyi, a designer from the original Stalker series, mentioned his fondness for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines and Arcanum, both created by Troika Games, which had ties to the Fallout series. The discussion around eurojank encourages appreciation for the quirks and imperfections that make these games memorable and foster community among players.

AppWizard

March 26, 2026

V Rising developer is making its “most ambitious” vampire game yet, and players want it to be an MMORPG

Stunlock Studios is transitioning from V Rising to a new project within the same universe, which they describe as their "most ambitious project yet." While they will continue to support V Rising with balance adjustments and bug fixes, the content for the game is complete. The studio is stepping away from V Rising's established architecture due to its restrictive nature for creative iteration. They have introduced a Google Form for players to provide feedback on V Rising, although most of the development team will focus on the new title. Details about the new project are vague, but it promises a deeper and more dangerous experience. There is a strong player desire for an MMORPG experience, with hopes for larger servers in the next iteration. Stunlock is attentive to this feedback and invites community suggestions for the future of the V Rising saga.

AppWizard

March 26, 2026

There’s a new Payday game in the works, but it’s not quite what I expected

The Payday franchise includes the original game and its sequel, Payday 2, which became popular on PC. Payday 3 had a disappointing release, leading to the development of a spin-off titled Payday: Aces High. This new game requires a VR headset for gameplay and focuses on cooperative heists, allowing players to use physical movements to aim and shoot. Players can team up with up to three friends, avoid alarms, and escape with loot to earn cash rewards for better equipment and character development. The game will be released on Steam and the Meta Quest storefront in 2026.

AppWizard

March 24, 2026

There’s a new Payday game coming later this year, and it’s VR

Starbreeze is launching a virtual reality game titled Payday: Aces High, part of the Payday franchise, developed by Fast Travel Games. The game features co-op multiplayer for up to four players and allows for solo play. Players assume the roles of elite bank robbers in chaotic heists, maintaining the series' elements of planning and teamwork. Payday: Aces High is set to release in the third quarter of 2026, specifically between July 1 and September 30, and will be available exclusively for Meta Quest and SteamVR headsets. Starbreeze's CEO stated that this game is part of a strategy to expand the Payday franchise through new formats. The studio is currently facing challenges, including issues with Payday 3 and layoffs, while the success of Aces High remains uncertain amid a reevaluation of VR investments in the industry.

AppWizard

March 1, 2026

Cara Ellison, senior narrative designer on Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 before Paradox switched developers, discusses her love of Troika’s original RPG: ‘Everyone on the team helped really make that maximum goth’

Cara Ellison is a narrative designer whose journey in gaming began with a BBC Micro and the 1987 game Acheton. She has worked as a games journalist for publications like PC Gamer and transitioned into game design, contributing narratives to titles such as Dishonored 2, Void Bastards, God of War: Ragnarok, and Ghost Town. Her latest project is Sleight of Hand, a deckbuilding stealth game inspired by Metal Gear Solid and Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines. She has a fondness for the original Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines, despite its technical challenges, and has logged 103 hours in Kentucky Route Zero. Ellison keeps Sunless Sea installed on both her work and personal computers, appreciating its narrative depth. For her writing, she uses Scrivener, which she utilized for Void Bastards. Her desktop is relatively tidy, featuring a mix of business and leisure icons, with a wallpaper from Vertigo.

AppWizard

February 21, 2026

Highly Rated PC Vampire Game Now Available on PS5 & Nintendo Switch (& Xbox Is Coming Soon)

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines and V Rising are notable vampire-themed video games, while Vampire Therapist has gained attention for its narrative-driven adventure and therapeutic themes. Launched on PC via Steam in July 2024, it has received an Overwhelmingly Positive rating and various awards. The game features a gunslinger turned therapist helping vampires with cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and includes voice actors from titles like Hades and Baldur’s Gate 3. As of February 17th, Vampire Therapist is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch for .99 USD, with a 15% launch discount until March 3rd. An Xbox version is set to release on March 5th. The game is not yet supported on the Switch 2 due to progression issues.

AppWizard

January 30, 2026

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 left a gaping, $28 million hole in Paradox’s year-end financial report

Paradox Interactive's year-end financial report indicates a 23% increase in revenue compared to the same quarter last year, marking it as the company's "second-best quarter ever." However, operating profit decreased by 162%, resulting in an overall loss of 245.4 million Swedish kronor, primarily due to the poor performance of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, which led to a write-down of 355 million kronor. Without this write-down, Paradox would have reported a profit of around 110 million kronor, though this would still be less than the previous year's operating profit of 395.3 million kronor. Additionally, fluctuating foreign exchange rates negatively impacted the company's financial results, with the dollar depreciating by approximately 12% and the euro by 5-6%.

AppWizard

January 18, 2026

Slipknot’s Clown built fantasy ‘Minecraft’ realm to help him grieve

Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan has been a key figure in Slipknot for three decades and recently launched his first fully playable game, Vernearth, inspired by Minecraft. The game allows players to build structures, engage in battles, and embark on quests, and it officially launched on December 1. Clown's passion for gaming began in his youth, and he faced challenges in game development due to financial barriers. He developed Vernearth over four years with his daughter and a drum tech, creating a unique version of Minecraft with new gameplay elements and a darker atmosphere. The game serves as a personal outlet for Clown, helping him cope with grief related to family losses. He is also exploring online therapy integration within the game and has launched The Auction House for players to trade items. Additionally, he is working on an original soundtrack for Vernearth while taking a break from new material with Slipknot.

AppWizard

January 4, 2026

‘I’m over making other people really wealthy with my own creations’: Fallout co-creator Tim Cain isn’t interested in making a new IP or a sequel to one of his classic RPGs and, at this point, he’s ‘exasperated with the question’

Tim Cain, the creator of the original Fallout, has been asked about the possibility of developing a new RPG or revisiting the Fallout franchise, as well as sequels to his other games like Arcanum and Temple of Elemental Evil. He has been active in the gaming industry since the 1990s, co-founding Troika Games and contributing to various projects, including Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds. Recently, he rejoined Obsidian full-time after previously serving as a consultant for The Outer Worlds 2. Currently, he is involved in non-lead design roles for several Obsidian titles and has contributed to games like South Park: The Stick of Truth, Tyranny, and Pillars of Eternity.