Supermassive Games, renowned for crafting immersive horror experiences such as Until Dawn, The Quarry, and the gripping anthology of The Dark Pictures series, has reportedly pulled the plug on a previously unannounced game set in the Blade Runner universe. According to a report from Insider Gaming, the project, titled "Blade Runner: Time To Live," was envisioned as a character-driven, cinematic action-adventure. The narrative was set to follow the journey of So-Lange, the last remaining Nexus-6 model Blade Runner in the year 2065, who is tasked with eliminating the head of a secretive replicant network. Betrayed and left for dead, So-Lange's tale would have unfolded through a mix of stealth, combat, exploration, investigation, and intense character-driven moments.
Insider Gaming disclosed that the development budget for Blade Runner: Time To Live was approximately $45 million, with a significant $9 million allocated for external performance capture and acting talent. The game was set to offer a 10-12 hour single-player experience, with pre-production kicking off in September 2024 and a planned release in September 2027 across PC and both current and next-generation consoles. However, the project reportedly disintegrated due to complications with Alcon Entertainment, the rights holder for Blade Runner, leading to its cancellation late last year.
In related news, during the summer of 2023, publisher Annapurna Interactive announced their venture into in-house game development with "Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth," marking the first Blade Runner game in 25 years. Despite the initial excitement, there have been no further updates on this title since its announcement.
Amidst these developments, Supermassive Games has been busy with multiple projects, including the forthcoming installment in the Dark Pictures series, Directive 8020, and work on Little Nightmares 3. Last year, the studio faced challenges, announcing layoffs affecting around 90 employees, as reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, as they entered a "period of consultation."
On a brighter 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 bringing Until Dawn to the big screen.
