The fans have spoken, and Paradox has listened: the Lasombra and Toreador clans will now be included in the base game of Vampire: Bloodlines 2 after all.
There is hardly any other game that has had such a checkered history as Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. And that’s even before its release!
After years of silence, a studio change, and the takeover by The Chinese Room, many now suspect that the successor to the 21-year-old role-playing classic simply cannot be completed.
The recent shitstorm over DLC content that was apparently cut from the game did not exactly inspire hope. At least publisher Paradox Interactive has now relented and responded to the vocal criticism.
The two playable vampire clans Lasombra and Toreador, which for many are at the heart of the game, will now not disappear behind a paywall after all, but will be part of the basic version along with the other four clans. Buyers of the Premium Edition and the Season Pass will receive different additional content in exchange.
180-degree turnaround
For the Bloodlines 2 community, which reacted with overwhelming rejection to the DLC plans announced in August, this is a victory. Marco Behrmann, Executive Vice President of Paradox subsidiary White Wolf, has now even explicitly expressed his gratitude for the “open feedback.”
This sounded very different a few weeks ago, when Paradox executives spoke of a “business-necessary decision” that was common in the industry before announcing adjustments.
New content is still coming
Along with the announcement that the Lasombra and Toreador clans will be integrated into the base game, Paradox Interactive has introduced two new story packs that will be sold separately. The DLCs, called Loose Cannon and The Flower & the Flame, are scheduled for release after launch and will allow you to explore Seattle from a new perspective.
All editions and DLCs at a glance
- Loose Cannon will be released in the second quarter of 2026 and puts you in the undead shoes of Brujah Sheriff Benny Muldoon.
- The Flower & the Flame follows in the third quarter of 2026 and lets you slip into the role of Toreador Primogen Ysabella Moore.
- On October 21, coinciding with the release of the main game, Santa Monica Memories will be released as a cosmetic DLC that integrates some souvenirs from the first Bloodlines into your hero’s refuge.
- All expansions are included in the Expansion Pass (available separately for around $35) of the Premium Edition, which costs around $90, but are also available individually. The Deluxe Edition, which costs just under $80, only includes Santa Monica Memories. Pre-order customers receive the Bloodlines Nostalgia Jukebox, which allows them to play music from the first game in the sequel.
This shows that Paradox has taken the criticism of the clans on board, but continues to rely on a complex system of different editions and DLCs to monetize the game.