Supermassive Games, the British Studio behind Until Dawn, The Dark Pictures Anthology, and The Quarry has apparently been working on a game based on the Blade Runner franchise. Unfortunately, the unannounced game won't see light as it's reportedly been canceled.
A new report from Insider Gaming reveals all-new details surrounding the game, which was reportedly titled Blade Runner: Time to Live. Leaked documents revealed the game's scope and some top-level details. It would've featured a 10-12 hour single player story that involved "a “compelling story blending the philosophical themes of Blade Runner with kinetic action-adventure gameplay."
Described as a "character focused, cinematic, action adventure," Blade Runner: Time to Live would've seen players as the only Blade Runner in the year 2065. Players would play as So-Lange, a vintage model Nexus-6 "inexplicably still alive well beyond your limited lifespan.”
The description of the game from the documents reads:
“Journey from the teeming undercity of New Zurich 2065 to the eerie remnants of the forgotten world beyond. Under orders to retire Rev, the mysterious and ruthless leader of an underground replicant network, you are betrayed and left for dead in a brutally hostile environment.”
Gameplay would've revolved around four key pillars: stealth, combat, exploration and investigation, and dramatic character interaction. Players would be able to upgrade their character's skills and abilities, use past memories to uncover story details, complete investigations using in-game technology, and more.
The reported $45 million budget would've included $9 million set aside for external performance capture and acting talent. Things like original music production, image rights and usage fees for performers, QA testing, localization, and future DLC was not included, however.
As a Blade Runner fan, this all sounds incredibly exciting. But unfortunately, it won't happen.
Pre-production on Blade Runner: Time to Live had reportedly begun in September 2024 with the core team comprised of developers who worked on The Quarry. A full release was planned for September 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, as well as the yet-to-be-announced "Gen 10" Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
The he game was reportedly canceled late last year, although no reason was provided. It's believed that Alcon Entertainment, the company that owns the rights to the Blade Runner franchise, is to blame. When reached for comment, Supermassive Games only responded that they were "unable to comment" on the report.
Blade Runner is somewhat of a niche franchise, though it has a passionate cult following. The 1982 sci-fi film directed by Ridley Scott starred Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, a burn-out cop who reluctantly agrees to hunt them down. The film was a box office disappointment and was initially met with mixed reactions from critics. However, over the years, many have come around to the film and it now holds a 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
"Misunderstood when it first hit theaters, the influence of Ridley Scott's mysterious, neo-noir Blade Runner has deepened with time. A visually remarkable, achingly human sci-fi masterpiece," the critics consensus reads.
A sequel, titled Blade Runner 2049, was released in 2017. Unlike the original film, it was met with universal acclaim from critics, although it was still considered a box office disappointment, grossing $267.5 million worldwide and failing to reach an estimated break-even point of $400 million.
There haven't been many games based on the franchise. 1997's Blade Runner, a point-and-click adventure from Westwood Studios, is probably the most well-known game. In 2018, Seismic Games released the virtual reality title Blade Runner: Revelations.