Banu Haqim Strike from the Shadows and Bring Justice in ‘Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2’ as Next Playable Clan
The adjudicators of justice join Brujah and Tremere as playable Vampire clans, with an in-depth look at each slated for 2024
STOCKHOLM – November 30, 2023 – Today during the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, Paradox Interactive and The Chinese Room announced that the Banu Haqim are a playable clan in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. Focusing on stalking, assassination, and outmaneuvering enemies, the Banu Haqim specialize in combat from the shadows with unseen maneuvers and silent takedowns. Wishlist Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 today on Steam, Epic, and GoG.
Check out the Banu Haqim in action in the trailer here: https://youtu.be/zcDEhivcr-w
Known for keeping their bloodlust in check, the Banu Haqim are fiercely devoted to upholding a moral code, dealing with threats, and handing out consequences. They lurk in the shadows, using their vampiric Disciplines to hunt and remain hidden, dealing swift and precise strikes to enforce their sense of justice.
“Making Phyre a Banu Haqim changes how players approach combat, offering a unique perspective to the game’s world,” said Alex Skidmore, Project Creative Director at The Chinese Room. “Players must approach encounters carefully to make the most of this clan’s gifts, timing their strikes with finesse and precision to achieve their goals. These Kindred are patient and careful, making them ideal for players looking for a strategic experience.”
“Banu Haqim are scholars, warriors, and guardians in Vampire: The Masquerade. Players eagerly awaiting a more tactical playstyle are getting the clan they’ve been anticipating,” said Sean Greaney, Executive Vice President of World of Darkness at Paradox Interactive. “Each clan has distinct qualities that fulfill a unique player fantasy and shape how they experience Bloodlines 2. Kindred clans in Vampire: The Masquerade have their own long-lived worlds filled with history, motivations, and power structures. The Chinese Room has done an expert job translating these complex entities into an impactful RPG experience that is meaningful to players and feels at home in World of Darkness.”
Bloodlines 2 features lead protagonist Phyre, an Elder Kindred Embraced during the early 17th Century. Players choose from four playable clans, including the Banu Haqim, rebellious Brujah, and blood sorcery masters Tremere, with the last playable clan being unveiled in December 2023. Details on each clan and their respective Disciplines will be available in 2024, starting with a gameplay reveal in January.
Bloodlines 2 is the successor to the cult-classic Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines. The game takes players to the dark underbelly of Seattle, where vampires struggle for survival and supremacy. The game will launch in Fall 2024. To learn more, visit the official website, follow #Bloodlines2 on all social media platforms, and join the community on the game’s Discord.
The press kit can be found here.
About Paradox Interactive
Paradox Interactive is one of the premier developers and publishers of strategy and management games for PC and consoles. The players are located all over the world but some of the biggest markets are North America, Western Europe, and Asia.
The game portfolio consists of popular franchises such as Stellaris, Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings, Cities: Skylines, Prison Architect, the Surviving games, Age of Wonders, and Victoria. Paradox Interactive also owns the World of Darkness brand catalog.
For more information, please visit www.paradoxinteractive.com.
About World of Darkness
World of Darkness is a transmedia entertainment brand encompassing a number of modern fantasy horror franchises, including Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and more. Through tabletop roleplaying games, video games, board games, literature, comic books, and more, these franchises tell mature stories in a dark supernatural fantasy layered over our modern world. Since 1991, World of Darkness has defined monster-perspective entertainment for a generation of fans. For more information visit www.worldofdarkness.com.
About The Chinese Room
The Chinese Room is an award-winning game development studio based in Brighton, UK. Since 2012, the studio has built a reputation for innovative first-person gaming. Their titles include the ground-breaking Dear Esther (2012); the cult horror Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs (2013); the internationally acclaimed Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture (2015) and the highly-anticipated Still Wakes the Deep (2024).
Since joining the Sumo Digital family in 2018, The Chinese Room has been hard at work building on its reputation for creative excellence in game development. From humble roots in modding and academia to a team of over one hundred game devs and numerous influential titles, the studio is busy with projects that merge TCR storytelling with new directions, new genres, and new ambitions.