Fans of pen-and-paper gaming are likely familiar at least in passing with the Vampire: The Masquerade property. White Wolf Publishing created the vampire-themed setting as part of its larger World of Darkness project back in the 1990’s. However, White Wolf was essentially shut down last year in the wake of controversy involving Vampire’s fifth edition.
Some fans worried that this controversy would cause parent company Paradox Interactive to lead with a heavier hand. However, Paradox says that stifling creative freedom is something it never wants to do. In fact, in regards to Vampire: The Masquerade 2, the publisher is putting that mentality into full effect.
Vampire: The Masquerade: Paradox Interactive’s Hands-Off Approach
Polygon provided an excellent recap of what exactly happened with White Wolf Publishing. Paradox purchased White Wolf (and the rights to the World of Darkness properties) back in 2015. White Wolf also announced that it would develop a fifth edition of the Vampire: The Masquerade pen-and-paper game.
Along the way, White Wolf made a number of tone-deaf blunders regarding the fifth edition’s story materials. Overt references to neo Nazis, pedophilia, and graphic sexual violence prompted a number of apologies and revisions from the company. Then, the final print version of Vampire: The Masquerade’s fifth edition made light of LGBTQ murders and imprisonment in Chechnya. Needless to say, Paradox quickly ran out of second chances to give.
Today, the entire Vampire: The Masquerade property is handled in-house at Paradox. However, Paradox vice president Shams Jorjani told Polygon that White Wolf’s mistakes haven’t altered Paradox’s philosophy:
“We are never going to come in and say, ‘Hey, you have to take out this character and put in this other character.’ It’s just contrary to how we think and operate.”
Jorjani went on to say that Paradox is very happy to be working with Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 developer Hardsuit Labs. According to Jorjani, Hardsuit Labs understands and respects the Vampire: The Masquerade materials and how they’re influenced by real-world elements. Paradox isn’t completely hands-off, but its relationship with Hardsuit Labs sounds both balanced and beneficial.
For more on Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, be sure to read about the Tremere and Toreador in-game clans.