Things have been rather quiet for Stunlock Studios following the launch of V Rising’s latest big update, Invaders of Oakveil. However, the developer has been slowly cooking and announced that its next title, its “most ambitious yet,” is in development. Fans of the survival-crafting action RPG should especially take note, since it’s taking place in the same universe.
“Put plainly, Stunlock Studios is working on a new game set in the beautiful, strange, and gothic world of V Rising. This will be our most ambitious project yet in our 15-year history of making games, and we can’t wait to begin this journey with you. The hunt for blood is about to evolve.”
While talking about the foundation of V Rising and how it was built “brick by brick” upon “years of work and decisions,” it can “also be limiting.” “Decisions made to lay those bricks in a certain way often make sense at the time, but they aren’t always perfect for ideas that emerge later.”
This new project is a different story. “We’ve been experimenting in ways we haven’t been able to for a very long time, exploring fresh ideas unbound by our previous limitations. With the foundation of knowledge we built alongside you, we’re able to craft a bolder vision for the future of our Vampire world. Right now, we’re set about creating the architecture that can support our new and wild ambitions, and one we think will be able to support yours as well.”
The project is currently in “very early development”, but it promises a “world of greater depth, danger, and mystery than ever before.” “The odyssey of the Vampire continues in an experience that feels both familiar and strikingly new. We take on this challenge with great respect for what it demands as we set out to build something extraordinary, and when the time comes, your feedback, as always, will help guide us as we refine and improve.” That last part seems to suggest that it will enter early access, just like V Rising did.
While fans may have to wait for a while to hear anything new (and “changes along the way” are pretty much a given), Stunlock says it will “emerge from the shadows now and then to share how things are progressing.”
What does that mean for V Rising? Unfortunately, Invaders of Oakveil is the last major content update, as the studio believes that “the journey to Dracula is a complete one as it stands.” However, the studio isn’t dropping support out of nowhere as it will still deploy balance changes and bug fixes where required. It will also poll the community on the State of the Game, but the current focus is on patching any “major or particularly impactful issue” with some small fixes thrown in.
Unfortunately, official modding support and tools aren’t on the cards. “After digging into it, we came to the conclusion that the game simply isn’t structured in a way that would allow us to provide mod tools at the standard we’d want for the community. The time spent exploring it wasn’t wasted, however, and what we learned will prove valuable for our future schemes and our new focus.”
V Rising is currently available for PS5 and PC. It sold over five million units as of January 2025.
