Announced last month, The Blood of Dawnwalker is the first title from Rebel Wolves, the studio formed by developers behind The Witcher 3. The developers described The Blood of Dawnwalker as “a single player open-world dark fantasy AAA RPG with a strong focus on story and narrative”. The game uses Unreal Engine 5 and is being published by Bandai Namco for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
The new cinematic trailer, which includes gameplay footage, begins with the game’s main character Coen, who is attempting to save his sister who has contracted the plague, by escaping a ruthless king and his soldiers. When all seems lost Coen encounters a vampire who offers him a new path in life, and death as a Dawnwalker, “forever treading the line between the world of day and the realm of night”.
“Inspired by classic RPGs, we want players to feel the sense of urgency in an open world game. There are multiple approaches to saving Coen’s family with no clear division between main and side quests, you decide on how you spend the time.”
Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, Game Director and Co-Founder of Rebel Wolves
Per Official Announcement:
“14th century Europe. Bloody conflicts sweep the lands, and the Black Death comes for the survivors. In the wake of the disasters claiming thousands of lives, the decimated human population struggles for survival. It’s a moment of weakness. In Vale Sangora, somewhere in a forgotten corner of the Carpathian Mountains, vampires seize their opportunity to walk out of the shadows, overthrow the feudal lords and claim what they’ve been denied for centuries: freedom, and ultimate power that comes with it. Legends turn into reality, and history as we know it will never be the same.”
Description (per official site):
- “14th-century Europe: Bloody conflicts sweep the lands, and the Black Death comes for the survivors. In the wake of the disasters claiming thousands of lives, the decimated human population struggles for survival. It’s a moment of weakness – and that’s all they needed.”
- “Vampires seize their opportunity: They walk out of the shadows and claim what they’ve been denied for centuries: freedom, and power that comes with it. Other creatures of the night follow their lead. Legends turn into reality, and history as we know it will never be the same.”
- “Combine vampiric strength with human resolve: Use your skills and combine vampiric strength with human resolve. Face your foes – be they human, monster, or the ticking clock itself. But remember – the real evil may bask in the sun’s light, and the most loyal of allies could lurk under the cover of night.”
Game Director and Co-Founder of Rebel Wolves, Konrad Tomaszkiewicz (game director for The Witcher 3, also secondary game director and head of production for Cyberpunk 2077, explains that “Time is a resource and with each quest progressing its passage, it is impossible to complete all stories and arcs before the dreadful deadline, making each playthrough unique. We call it a narrative sandbox.”
Meet Rebel Wolves:
Rebel Wolves comprises many former Witcher alumni. Bartłomiej Gaweł (The Witcher 3 art director) whose influence on that game, and this one, can be seen with character armor and clothing, plus world designs, is joined by animation director Tamara Zawada (The Witcher 3). Jakub Szamałek (The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Thronebreaker) serves as lead writer. As mentioned, the visuals for The Blood of Dawnwalker already bear a resemblance to the team’s previous work, and design director Daniel Sadowski has been there since the first Witcher game. Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz (lead quest designer for The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077) previously worked at CD Projekt Red for over 12 years and will assuredly be able to help in creating a world filled with many quests for players to experience as they become immersed in this new world.
The developers have not said when the game will be released but have indicated that it is intended to be the first chapter of a longer storyline. A gameplay reveal is planned for this summer where more details will be shared.