World of Darkness Brand Update

Those of you following the expansive World of Darkness brand, might be interested in this recent update that starts by mentioning the ongoing pandemic and its impact on the WoD properties. It then highlights some recent news regarding the upcoming 5th editions of WoD’s Werewolf and Hunter IPs.

Apart from the big text update, there’s also this video interview with WoD’s creative lead Justin Achilli. Check it out:

And here are the text bits:

Hello Vamily,

This month, as we share the Month of Darkness and celebrate three decades of Vampire: The Masquerade, it seems the perfect time to update you on our mission to bring the World of Darkness to life.

First let’s talk about the Nexus Crawler in the room: the global pandemic. For us, it means that brand management works remotely in accordance with all public safety guidelines. Like many others, we have adapted to working from home (or living at work) and connecting with each other online.

Our Creative Lead Justin Achilli, has relocated back to the United States and shifted to a contract position in North Carolina. He’ll continue to take point on world building and IP development for World of Darkness, while also contributing to some exciting projects for Red Storm Entertainment (which he cannot share with you yet!). This move allows Justin to spend more time with his family in the US while continuing to work with us on World of Darkness.

Justin: “This doesn’t change much with my work on World of Darkness, it just means I’m focusing on developing the story worlds you have come to know and love. The biggest difference you might notice is the time of day that my sassy tweets originate.”

We’ve got a lot planned and underway for the World of Darkness, with its host of comics, games, and other exciting things on the horizon. Here’s small taste of what’s in the pipeline:

Howls from the Caern

Garou fans will be happy to know that the Werewolf: The Apocalypse 5th Edition TTRPG remains in active development.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse as we are envisioning it today is a storytelling game about radical solutions that explore an environmental apocalypse where a range of injustices provoke urgency and violence. It’s a game about tearing apart your enemies… and living with the repercussions. It also is a game that explores the differences between people and the mutual sacrifices made to effect — or endure — global consequences. To frame this story in the most exciting way possible, while also being respectful to the various cultures portrayed in the game, means we are taking extra time to ensure that it delivers the best experience for everyone.

Justin: “W5 is an exciting project because I feel players will really connect with its content and message. So many people today are struggling with their frustrations about the climate crisis and what has become ‘the new normal’ and are unsure how to vent their anger. What better way than to cut loose as a Werewolf and hold those responsible accountable?”

Justin speaks more about Werewolf: The Apocalypse – 5th Edition and changes it will bring in this week’s WoD News interview – tune in on Thursday 14th at 5 PM CEST to World of Darkness Twitch channel to hear it live.

You also can get a glimpse of some important W5 story elements in Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest from Different Tales. Comic fans who want to get a taste of W5 can check out Crimson Thaw, the new comic book crossover event from Vault Comics. Crimson Thaw is written by Jim Zub, Tim Seeley, Blake Howard, Tini Howard, & Danny Lore, drawn by Julius Ohta, colored by Addison Duke, lettered by Deron Bennett, and designed by Tim Daniel. This limited series includes setting materials and character bios from the fifth edition design of Werewolf: The Apocalypse.

The Hunt is On

While developing W5, we were inspired by the game’s dramatic action to simultaneously sink our claws into another project about characters who take matters into their own hands. Hunter: The Reckoning 5th Edition TTRPG is nearly finished with its development cycle! We’re ironing out the final details and will share a launch window soon — here’s hoping the global shipping situation gets better next year!

In Hunter: The Reckoning, humanity clings to a comfortable illusion that the world belongs to mankind and is completely unaware that they occupy a world of grim mysteries inhabited by monsters. Those savvy to the secrets of the World of Darkness know the truth, however: that timeless blood-drinkers, ravening shapeshifters, restless ghosts, and even more harrowing things haunt the night.

Hunters are among those who have seen past the veil of secrecy and know the world for what it is — a bauble in the claws of monsters. Hunters fight back against the threat because they have glimpsed the truth and have resolved to do something about it.

Justin: “Hunter: The Reckoning is unique in the World of Darkness in that it gives hope to humanity. Hunters are fighting back against the terrors that go bump in the night, giving humanity a fighting chance against impossible odds. Hunters also position themselves in opposition to larger hunting orgs, which are often the tools of an unjust status quo. Working on Hunter helps realize the aspirational element of the World of Darkness, that the things you do can change the world for the better.”

We share more information about Hunter: The Reckoning 5th Edition on this week’s World of Darkness News. More previews will be shared later this month, as a part of Month of Darkness celebrations.

World of Darkness is expanding and every day we are welcoming more people into the Vamily. You may remember that earlier this year we revealed that we’re working on a project with Hivemind Studios, the team behind Netflix’s The Witcher, to develop a World of Darkness project, this is just one example of the ways our Vamily is growing. We have a lot more happening behind the scenes that we can’t share just yet, but we can say that fans will have a lot to look forward to in the future!