Paradox Interactive announced that Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 will launch with four playable vampire clans in the base game. Two additional clans—Toreador and Lasombra—will be sold as paid downloadable content available on release day.
The base game includes Brujah, Tremere, Ventrue, and Banu Haqim clans. Players who want to experience the artistic Toreador or shadow-wielding Lasombra vampires will need to purchase them separately or buy a premium edition that includes the DLC. The extra clans are priced around $20–30 depending on platform and region.
In Vampire: The Masquerade, your clan choice defines your vampire’s abilities, weaknesses, and role in undead society. It’s essentially your character class. Toreador vampires are known as passionate artists with supernatural beauty and charisma. Lasombra control shadows and darkness, traditionally serving as ruthless leaders. Both are major clans in the tabletop game that inspired Bloodlines 2.
The announcement hits especially hard for fans because Toreador was one of the most popular clans in the original 2004 Bloodlines. That game launched with seven fully playable clans, all included in the base price. Now players are getting four, with two more locked behind an additional paywall from day one.
Notable absences include Malkavian and Nosferatu clans, which won’t be playable at launch at all. Malkavians were fan favorites in the original game, offering unique dialogue options reflecting their prophetic madness. Nosferatu provided a completely different stealth-focused experience due to their monstrous appearance.
The timing of this DLC announcement alongside the release date reveal has drawn criticism. After years of delays and a complete developer change, many expected Paradox to focus on delivering a complete experience rather than splitting content for extra revenue.
Bloodlines 2‘s development has been rocky since its 2019 announcement. Original developer Hardsuit Labs was removed from the project in 2021 after multiple delays. The Chinese Room took over development, essentially rebuilding the game from scratch. They’ve promised a more action-focused approach compared to the RPG-heavy original.
Community reaction has been swift and mostly negative. Players point out that selling core character options as day-one DLC sends the wrong message for a game already fighting an uphill battle for trust. Many suggest waiting for a complete edition that includes all content rather than buying at launch.
Paradox is known for extensive post-launch DLC across their game catalog. However, locking fundamental gameplay options behind a paywall on release day feels different from adding extra content months later. For a game trying to revive a beloved franchise after 20 years, this monetization strategy might drain more than just wallets.
