Paradox Accepts Blame for Bloodlines 2 Sales, £28M Loss

Paradox Interactive, the renowned publisher, has publicly taken full responsibility for the disappointing sales performance of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. This admission accompanies a significant financial write-down of SEK 355 million (approximately £28 million) in development costs, signaling a substantial commercial setback for the highly anticipated title, which launched roughly a month prior to this announcement in late October 2025.

Publisher Confesses Misjudgment on Core Expertise

Frederik Wester, CEO of Paradox, articulated the publisher's position in a press release, stating that the game's genre—a strong vampire fantasy with a broad appeal—fell outside of Paradox's traditional core areas of gaming expertise. This, Wester conceded, made it challenging for the company to accurately project the game's commercial viability. Despite expressing satisfaction with the developers' work and acknowledging the strength of the Vampire: The Masquerade IP, Wester unequivocally placed the responsibility for the sales shortfall on Paradox. Unofficial estimates from GameDiscover.co, seen by GamesIndustry.biz, suggest a mere 121,500 copies sold, generating only around £3 million in revenue – a stark contrast to the substantial development investment.

Strategic Refocus and Post-Launch Promises

In the wake of Bloodlines 2's underperformance, Paradox has outlined a strategic shift. The company plans to reallocate its capital towards its established core segments while concurrently evaluating the optimal future development strategy for the broader World of Darkness brand catalogue. Crucially, Wester affirmed a steadfast commitment to the game's post-release content. Players who purchased deluxe editions, which initially promised access to additional vampire clans, will instead receive two story expansions. These upcoming add-ons are confirmed to feature aggressive vampire sheriff Benny Muldoon and the worshipped nightclub owner Ysabella Moore, with Paradox pledging to deliver these updates and expansions over the coming year.

The "Bloodlines 2" Naming Controversy

Adding another layer to the game's turbulent journey, former boss of developer The Chinese Room, Dan Pinchbeck, revealed a critical internal struggle over the game's title. Pinchbeck stated that the "Bloodlines 2" moniker inherently set "unrealistic expectations" for the project. Discussions were held internally at The Chinese Room to dissuade Paradox from using the title, suggesting an awareness of the challenge in living up to the cult classic original. The game itself has a notoriously protracted development history, initially announced in 2019 before being scrapped and ultimately repurposed under The Chinese Room's stewardship.

A Recurring Cautionary Tale for Paradox

This latest financial revelation is not an isolated incident for Paradox. The publisher has previously discussed the inherent risks associated with venturing beyond its established domain of strategy games. Paradox executives Mattias Lilja and Henrik Fåhraeus previously highlighted the need for greater discipline when exploring new genres. Fåhraeus had even referenced Bloodlines 2 as an "outlier" from an older strategy, acknowledging the "tall order to measure up to a cult classic." Beyond the naming and strategic missteps, early critical reception, including a review by Eurogamer's Robert Purchese, also suggested that even as a linear action title, Bloodlines 2 felt "hollow and forgettable," further exacerbating its commercial struggles.