The debut open-world RPG from the director behind The Witcher 3 is here to haunt your dreams with its jaw-dropping first gameplay reveal. Rebel Wolves’ The Blood of Dawnwalker will arrive on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series in 2026, and you’ll want to mark your calendar.

Dark fantasy and the cursed fate of vampires make a ferocious return in what may be the most electrifying reveal of Xbox Games Showcase 2025. The Blood of Dawnwalker unleashes a brooding visual style, a storyline steeped in tragedy, and third-person action that positions it as one of the most ambitious RPGs of the decade.

Created by Rebel Wolves and led by the former Witcher 3 director, the game lets players embody Coen, a half-human, half-vampire protagonist who is transformed into a monster in a desperate bid to save his little sister from a deadly plague devastating Europe. This duality means you’ll get two flavors of gameplay: keep your bloodlust in check for a more methodical approach, or embrace your inner vampire to unlock brutal weapons and supernatural abilities.

The real innovation is the “bloodlust” system, which pushes players into tough moral choices – feed to gain a burst of power, but risk shattering relationships or causing devastating changes to the world. The tension between clinging to humanity and surrendering to the beast within will impact the story’s progression and can unlock entirely different endings.

The first gameplay footage – as promised by the Polish team – showcased haunting, gothic-baroque environments, ruined castles, ravaged villages, and grotesque monsters inspired by European folklore and cosmic horror. Combat delivers all the crunchy action RPG staples (dodging, blocking, light and heavy attacks), but it’s also woven with narrative-driven exploration and stealth elements.

There’s no firm release date yet, but The Blood of Dawnwalker is officially coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series in 2026. With its mature narrative, impactful decisions, and heart-pounding action, this is already shaping up to be one of next year’s most anticipated games.

More gameplay coming soon as The Blood of Dawnwalker gets its own showcase

If you’re still craving more after that first reveal, Rebel Wolves has announced on Twitter that a 45-minute Twitch event is set for June 21, featuring another 15 minutes of fresh gameplay plus developer interviews delving into mechanics, magic, combat, and traversal.

Source: 3djuegos