Paradox Records $37 Million Loss Due to Disappointing Sales of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2

Following a significant shortfall in early sales, Paradox has announced a write-down of approximately $37 million in development costs for Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. Despite mixed reviews, the company remains committed to releasing the two planned expansions for the game. According to data from GameDiscoverCo, the game has sold around 121,500 copies on Steam, resulting in about $4 million in revenue. The title currently holds mixed reviews on both Steam and Metacritic. In a statement, CEO Frederik Wester expressed his satisfaction with the developers' work on the game, describing it as a 'strong vampire fantasy.' However, he acknowledged that sales have not met expectations, necessitating the write-down. Wester attributed the responsibility for the game's underperformance to the publisher, citing the challenge of accurately gauging sales due to the game's departure from Paradox's core areas of expertise. Moving forward, the company plans to focus its capital on core segments while evaluating the best approach to develop the World of Darkness brand in the future. Paradox initially greenlit the project after acquiring the IP in 2015, with Hardsuit Labs aiming to create a game closer to the original 2004 cult favorite. However, after two delays and the removal of key creatives, Paradox terminated its deal with Hardsuit and handed the project over to The Chinese Room. The resulting game delivered a more narrative-driven experience, which received a lukewarm response from players and critics. The studio had anticipated potential backlash from fans due to the game's deviation from the original formula. In a recent interview, former creative director Dan Pinchbeck discussed the challenges of living up to the original game's legacy, revealing that the team had considered ditching the 'Bloodlines 2' title altogether. Despite this setback, Paradox reported a 20% increase in operating profit for the first nine months of the year and expects Q4 to be a pivotal period, driven by multiple game launches and updates to its core titles.