Rebel Wolves, a studio comprised of former CD Projekt Red developers, unveiled a cinematic trailer for their debut title, The Blood of Dawnwalker. This open-world RPG, reminiscent of The Witcher, features a dark fantasy setting, morally ambiguous choices, and a compelling outcast protagonist. Unique to the game, however, is its incorporation of Persona-like time management mechanics.
The trailer, primarily pre-rendered cinematic footage with brief gameplay glimpses, highlights the game's Witcher-esque atmosphere. Initially announced as Dawnwalker in January 2024, the game was officially revealed as The Blood of Dawnwalker on January 13, 2025, during a stream hosted by Rebel Wolves and Bandai Namco. The extended trailer (over four and a half minutes) introduces the setting and the Dawnwalkers – essentially, powerful vampires – along with the protagonist, Coen, who becomes a Dawnwalker at the game's outset.
Echoes of The Witcher and a Persona Twist
The Blood of Dawnwalker's dark fantasy world, monsters, morally gray choices, and tagline ("the world needs what it fears") strongly evoke The Witcher series, particularly The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's Blood and Wine expansion. Players will face difficult decisions, choosing whether Coen embraces his new Dawnwalker powers to save his family or clings to his humanity. A robust morality system underpins these choices.
Beyond its Witcher influences, The Blood of Dawnwalker innovates with Persona-style time management. Every quest consumes time, creating a "narrative sandbox" where completing all quests in a single playthrough is impossible. Game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz explains that players decide how to allocate their time, with multiple approaches to saving Coen's family and no clear distinction between main and side quests, fostering high replayability.
Currently in development for PC and current-gen consoles (PlayStation and Xbox), The Blood of Dawnwalker is planned as the first installment of a trilogy, published by Bandai Namco. While a release date remains unannounced, given its 2022 development start and AAA budget, a 2027 release or later seems plausible. Rebel Wolves promises a gameplay reveal in Summer 2025.
