"Next-Gen Blade Runner Game Scrapped by Until Dawn Studio"

Supermassive Games, renowned for creating thrilling horror experiences like Until Dawn, The Quarry, and The Dark Pictures anthology, has reportedly halted development on a previously unannounced Blade Runner game.

According to Insider Gaming, Supermassive was crafting a narrative-driven, cinematic action-adventure titled "Blade Runner: Time To Live." The game was set in 2065 and centered on So-Lange, a vintage Nexus-6 model and the last Blade Runner. So-Lange's mission was to eliminate the leader of an underground replicant network, only to be betrayed and left stranded in a hostile environment. The gameplay was designed to blend stealth, combat, exploration, investigation, and intense character interactions.

Insider Gaming revealed that the development budget for Blade Runner: Time To Live was approximately $45 million, with $9 million allocated for external performance capture and acting. The game was slated to offer a 10-12 hour single-player experience, with pre-production starting in September 2024 and a targeted release in September 2027 for PC and both current and next-generation consoles.

The project's cancellation reportedly stemmed from issues with Alcon Entertainment, the rights holder for the Blade Runner franchise, and was terminated late last year.

In other Blade Runner news, publisher Annapurna Interactive announced in the summer of 2023 that it was developing its first in-house game, "Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth," marking the first Blade Runner game in 25 years. However, updates on this project have been scarce since its initial announcement.

Amid these developments, Supermassive Games has been busy with other projects, including the next installment in The Dark Pictures series, Directive 8020, and Little Nightmares 3. The studio faced significant layoffs last year, with around 90 employees affected, as it entered a "period of consultation."

On a brighter note, fans of Supermassive can look forward to the theatrical release of the Until Dawn movie this weekend. For those interested, our review of David F. Sanberg's adaptation of Until Dawn to the big screen is available here.