The past month, we’ve been working on exclusive coverage for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, but there’s one secret we’ve yet to divulge: Fabien, the Malkavian detective in the protagonist’s head, is actually the game’s second playable character. Today, The Chinese Room revealed this to the world, along with the game’s official release date: October 21, 2025.
Fabien is only playable in certain, dedicated sections of the game, but will hopefully satisfy Vampire: The Masquerade fans hoping to play as a Malkavian. The following excerpt from a press release details his gameplay style more thoroughly.
Between nights, as Phyre rests, dreams and voices from Fabien’s past take hold. Emerging as Fabien, players enter a neo-noir 1920s Seattle and use his Malkavian abilities to unravel the mystery behind his murder. Solving the case proves challenging, as Fabien’s fractured perception of reality, a trait of his Malkavian blood, makes it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction.
Paradox also announced that two additional playable clans, Lasombra and Toreador, will be available as the Shadows & Silk DLC pack on launch day, giving Phyre more potential combat abilities and outfits. It’s available as part of Bloodlines 2’s Premium Edition, which also comes with the Santa Monica Memories cosmetic pack.
The base game will cost $59.99/£49.99/€59.99, while the deluxe edition (which includes Santa Monica Memories) will cost $69.99/£58.50/€69.99, while the premium edition (which includes both Santa Monica Memories and Shadows & Silk) will cost $89.99/£74.99/€89.99. You can also buy Santa Monica Memories and Shadows & Silk individually for $11.99/£9.99/€11.99 and $21.99/£18.69/€21.99, respectively.
Pre-orders are open today, and doing so grants you the Bloodlines Nostalgia Jukebox, which sits in the protagonist’s Haven and allows them to listen to music from the original Bloodlines soundtrack.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is out October 21. For more on the game, check out our hands-on discussion during The Game Informer Show, our interview with the art director, our interview discussing why The Chinese Room made Bloodlines 2 rather than a new series, or our exclusive digital cover story.
