Before The Chinese Room took over, Hardsuit Labs had its own version of Bloodlines 2 – but after a sudden firing, its entire vision disappeared into thin air.

What really happened to Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 under Hardsuit Labs? When the game was announced in 2019, Brian Mitsoda—writer of the original and narrative lead for the sequel—stood on stage to celebrate the franchise’s grand return. It was supposed to launch in 2020, but the release never came. Instead, Mitsoda and creative director Ka’ai Cluney were abruptly fired, and by 2021, Hardsuit Labs had lost the project entirely.

In 2023, publisher Paradox Interactive announced that The Chinese Room had taken over development, radically reworking the game according to its own creative vision. We still know almost nothing about Hardsuit’s original concept, and it may remain that way for a long time. In a recent blog post, Mitsoda shed some light on his feelings about the project, the work he did, and his current relationship with Paradox and the new developers. “I haven’t heard from anyone since I was let go. My entire narrative team was replaced.”

Mitsoda referenced a blog by Dan Pinchbeck from The Chinese Room, who wrote that the studio preferred to create its own story rather than finish someone else’s. From Mitsoda’s perspective, that’s likely why the entire narrative was rewritten. Although disappointed, he said he’s proud of what his team created. He was responsible for mission design, dialogue tools, character creation, casting, and directing voice performances, as well as leading the entire narrative department. “They even asked me to do PR work, which isn’t normal for a narrative lead, but I did it for the fans and the game.”

Looking back, Mitsoda admits it’s frustrating to have attended PR events for a version of the game that was ultimately scrapped. Still, he’s moved on and remains active in game development. He’s currently working on one AAA title and one indie project. “If the right offer comes along, I might return to directing someday,” he wrote. “For now, I’m just happy to keep making games.”

Source: PCGamer, Brian Mitsoda, Dan Pinchbeck