Next-Gen Blade Runner Game Scrapped by Until Dawn Studio

Supermassive Games, the renowned studio behind thrilling horror titles such as Until Dawn, The Quarry, and the Dark Pictures anthology series, has reportedly halted development on a previously unannounced Blade Runner game.

According to Insider Gaming, Supermassive was crafting a cinematic action-adventure game titled "Blade Runner: Time To Live." Set in the year 2065, the game would have centered on the last Blade Runner, following the adventures of a vintage Nexus-6 model named So-Lange. Tasked with retiring the leader of an underground replicant network, So-Lange's journey would take a dramatic turn as he faces betrayal and abandonment in a harsh environment. The gameplay was planned to encompass elements of stealth, combat, exploration, investigation, and deep character interactions.

Insider Gaming reported that the project had a development budget of approximately $45 million, with $9 million specifically allocated for external performance capture and acting talent. The game was set to feature a 10-12 hour single-player story, with pre-production kicking off in September 2024 and a targeted release date of September 2027 on 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 sometime late last year.

In other Blade Runner-related news, publisher Annapurna Interactive announced in the summer of 2023 that it would be developing its first in-house game, "Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth," marking the first Blade Runner game in 25 years. Since then, there has been no further information or updates on this project.

Meanwhile, Supermassive Games has been busy with other ventures, including the upcoming installment in the Dark Pictures series, "Directive 8020," and their work on "Little Nightmares 3." The studio faced challenges last year, with layoffs affecting around 90 workers, as reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, during 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, you can read our review of David F. Sandberg's adaptation of Until Dawn for the big screen.