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

Supermassive Games, renowned for crafting thrilling horror adventures such as Until Dawn, The Quarry, and the acclaimed The Dark Pictures Anthology, has seemingly halted progress on an undisclosed Blade Runner project. According to reports from Insider Gaming, the studio had been secretly developing a "cinematic, character-driven action-adventure" title set in 2065, titled Blade Runner: Time To Live. The narrative was said to revolve around a vintage Nexus-6 replicant tasked with eliminating the leader of an underground replicant resistance, only to face betrayal and find themselves stranded in a perilous setting. Gameplay was expected to incorporate elements of stealth, combat, exploration, investigative mechanics, and emotionally charged interactions.

Insider Gaming disclosed that Blade Runner: Time To Live carried a substantial budget of approximately $45 million, with nearly $9 million allocated for advanced motion capture and voice talent. The game was anticipated to deliver a 10-12 hour single-player campaign, commencing pre-production in September 2024, and aiming for a September 2027 release across PC and modern as well as next-generation consoles. However, the project unraveled reportedly due to complications involving Alcon Entertainment, which holds the rights to the Blade Runner franchise, leading to its cancellation toward the end of the previous year.

In mid-2023, publisher Annapurna Interactive declared its inaugural in-house effort within the Blade Runner universe, titled Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth. Described as the first official sequel in a quarter-century, updates regarding this project have been scarce since its announcement.

Simultaneously, Supermassive Games has been balancing multiple initiatives, including the forthcoming entry in the Dark Pictures Anthology, Directive 8020, and the third installment of Little Nightmares. Last year, the studio underwent layoffs affecting around 90 employees, according to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, amid a period of strategic review.

Notably, Supermassive’s Until Dawn is receiving a cinematic adaptation, premiering this week. For insights into David F. Sandberg’s rendition of the game on the big screen, read our review [here].