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

Supermassive Games, renowned for their immersive horror titles such as Until Dawn, The Quarry, and The Dark Pictures anthology series, has reportedly halted the development of a previously unannounced game set within the iconic Blade Runner universe. According to Insider Gaming, the game titled "Blade Runner: Time To Live" was envisioned as a "character-focused, cinematic, action-adventure" experience set in the year 2065. The narrative would have revolved around So-Lange, a vintage Nexus-6 model Blade Runner, tasked with retiring the leader of a clandestine replicant network. However, after being betrayed and left to survive in a harsh environment, So-Lange's journey would have been segmented into various gameplay elements including stealth, combat, exploration, investigation, and intense character interactions.

Insider Gaming's report further detailed that Blade Runner: Time To Live was backed by a substantial development budget of approximately $45 million, which included $9 million specifically allocated for external performance capture and acting talent. The game was said to feature a 10-12 hour single-player story, with pre-production commencing in September 2024 and a targeted release date set for September 2027 on PC and both current and next-generation consoles. Unfortunately, the project reportedly disintegrated due to complications with Alcon Entertainment, the rights holder of the Blade Runner franchise, leading to its cancellation sometime late last year.

In related news, publisher Annapurna Interactive unveiled plans in the summer of 2023 to develop their first in-house game based on the Blade Runner franchise, titled "Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth." Touted as the first Blade Runner game in 25 years, there have been no further updates on this project since its announcement.

Amidst these developments, Supermassive Games has been managing multiple projects, including the upcoming entry in The Dark Pictures series, Directive 8020, and their work on Little Nightmares 3. Last year, the studio announced layoffs affecting around 90 employees, as reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, entering what they described as a "period of consultation."

On a different note, fans of Supermassive's work can look forward to the cinematic adaptation of Until Dawn hitting theaters this weekend. For those interested, you can read our review of David F. Sandberg's take on Until Dawn for the big screen here.