The gaming world pays attention when the developers behind The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 team up to make a dark fantasy RPG. Enter Rebel Wolves, the studio from Konrad Tomaszkiewicz and some ex-CD Projekt devs, here to remind us that vampire-themed video games are still undead and kicking.
The studio’s debut project, The Blood of Dawnwalker, takes us back to 14th-century Europe, where the only thing gloomier than the plague-ridden peasants is the existential crisis of our protagonist, Coen.
A freshly minted Dawnwalker, Coen straddles the delicate balance between humanity and his newfound powers. Think Geralt of Rivia, but swap out the potions and wolf medallions for bloodlust and a seriously questionable social circle.
The premise: save your family, question your soul’s worth, and try not to join the ranks of the clichéd brooding antiheroes of gaming lore.
Set against the backdrop of relentless warfare and the Black Death—an era when life was cheaper than a Resident Evil merchant’s wares—vampires have decided it’s prime time to shine. The trailer’s grim tone teases moral ambiguity aplenty.
In The Blood of Dawnwalker, the villains aren’t always the ones with fangs and the heroes aren’t guaranteed to come out alive, or undead, for that matter.
Details on gameplay remain scarce, though the developers have hinted at an experience akin to The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine expansion—not quite as sprawling as a full Witcher game but packed with quests and rich storytelling.
Rebel Wolves planned the game’s reveal around a full moon to drum up excitement because why wouldn’t you lean into the supernatural theatrics? A four-minute cinematic trailer dropped last night, offering a first glimpse of Coen’s grim journey. It’s dark and broody—in the best way possible.
The Blood of Dawnwalker is set to launch as the first chapter in what Rebel Wolves calls a brand-new role-playing saga. Whether Coen’s tale will eclipse other vampire epics remains to be seen. Still, with ex-Witcher devs at the helm, my hopes are as high as a Final Fantasy protagonist’s hair.