Summary
An unannouncedSupermassive Gamestitle, based on the highly popularBlade Runnerfranchise, was reportedly scrapped in late 2024. If true, it would have been the second project based on a sci-fi IP forSupermassive Games, besides 2012’sDoctor Who: The Eternity Clock.
Over the past decade or so, Supermassive Games has cemented its place in the horror genre, thanks to releases such asUntil DawnandThe Quarry. Moreover, it has also become known for featuring renowned Hollywood celebrities, such as Rami Malek, Will Poulter, and Ashley Tisdale, in its various projects. In particular, Supermassive Games has been prolific in shipping titles inThe Dark Pictures Anthologyseries, having rolled out five different entries since 2019. In a new development, it was revealed that the British studio had recently been working on aBlade Runnergame that was still under wraps when it was canceled.
Blade Runner: Time to Live, a third-person action-adventure game by Supermassive Games, was canceled last year due to disagreements with IP owner Alcon Entertainment, perInsider Gaming. The report shared that the game was “character-focused” and “cinematic,” with 10–12 hours of single-player story content that merged the “philosophicalthemes ofBlade Runnerwith kinetic action-adventure gameplay.” The player would take charge of So-Lange, an old Nexus-6 model in the year 2065, who must make their way through New Zurich 2065 after being stranded in a hostile situation. The source highlighted that the game’s core gameplay featured combat, stealth, exploration and investigation, and “dramatic” interactions among characters with “authentic, punchy, and poignant” dialogue. Moreover, it revolved around “themes” such as using in-game tech to carry out investigations, leveraging memories to piece together the story, and upgrading skills and abilities.
Supermassive’s Blade Runner Game was Reportedly Axed
Blade Runner: Time to Livewas targeting a September 2027 launch across PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and “Gen 10” PlayStation and Xbox consoles. TheUntil Dawnstudioput aside $45 million for the canceled project, excluding the costs of image rights and usage fees for performers, original music, QA and testing, localization, and possible expansions. Out of this budget, $9 million was solely intended to cover performance capture and actor-related expenses. Furthermore, it was revealed that the game, described as “rather impressive” by an insider, kicked off pre-production in September 2024 under the aegis ofThe Quarrydevs. As per the original plans, this phase was planned to conclude in March 2025, with prototypes following in September.
Fortunately, Supermassive Games is still on course to roll out at least a couple of games this year. On the one hand, the survival horror titleDirective 8020is scheduled for releaseon June 04, 2025. On the other hand, there’s the horror platformerLittle Nightmares 3, which is set to finally arrive at some point this year after missing its original 2024 release window.
