"Next-Gen Blade Runner Game by Until Dawn Studio Reportedly Canceled"

Supermassive Games, renowned for their gripping horror titles such as Until Dawn, The Quarry, and the Dark Pictures anthology series, has reportedly halted development on an unannounced game in the iconic Blade Runner universe. According to Insider Gaming, the project titled Blade Runner: Time To Live was envisioned as a "character-focused, cinematic, action-adventure" experience set in the year 2065. The narrative was slated to follow the adventures of So-Lange, a vintage Nexus-6 model and the last of the Blade Runners. So-Lange's mission would have involved retiring the leader of a secretive replicant network, but a twist of betrayal would leave her stranded in a harsh environment. The gameplay was poised to offer a blend of stealth, combat, exploration, investigation, and intense character interactions.

Insider Gaming disclosed that the development budget for Blade Runner: Time To Live was approximately $45 million, with $9 million specifically allocated for external performance capture and acting talent. The game promised a 10-12 hour single-player journey, with pre-production starting in September 2024 and an anticipated release in September 2027 for PC, current, and next-generation consoles. However, the project reportedly collapsed due to complications with Alcon Entertainment, the rights holder for the Blade Runner franchise, resulting in its cancellation sometime in late last year.

In a different development within the Blade Runner universe, publisher Annapurna Interactive announced in the summer of 2023 their intention to create their first in-house game, titled Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth, marking the first Blade Runner game in 25 years. Since the initial announcement, however, there have been no further updates on this project.

Amidst these shifts, Supermassive Games has been managing multiple projects, including the next installment in their Dark Pictures series, Directive 8020, and the development of Little Nightmares 3. The studio faced significant challenges last year, announcing layoffs affecting around 90 employees, as reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, during what was described as a "period of consultation."

On a brighter note, Supermassive's Until Dawn is hitting the big screen this weekend. Fans can delve into our review of David F. Sanberg's cinematic adaptation of Until Dawn to get a taste of how this horror classic translates to film.