The world remembers what you've done, and consequences don't pause.
From veterans who once built the living worlds of The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077, Rebel Wolves has stepped forward with their debut — a gothic tale of a man who must become a monster to remain human. Set in the Carpathian-inspired Vale Sangora, The Blood of the Dawnwalker asks an old question in new form: what does it cost to save the ones you love? The showcase this week offered not just mechanics, but a philosophy — that time, consequence, and transformation are not obstacles to the player, but the very substance of the story.
- A studio of seasoned RPG architects has finally shown its hand, revealing a vampire action RPG built around the tension between humanity and monstrosity.
- The dual-nature combat system — sword and witchcraft by day, vampiric predation by night — forces players to think tactically about time itself as a finite, spendable resource.
- A living world pushes back: an infamy system escalates a tyrant lord's edicts as Coen disrupts his plans, and permanent NPC deaths mean every reckless choice closes a door forever.
- Four pre-order tiers have been announced, ranging from a digital standard edition to a full collector's bundle with figurine and hardcover compendium, signaling confident commercial ambition for a debut title.
- The studio is not chasing reinvention — it is chasing consequence, positioning Blood of the Dawnwalker as an RPG where the world genuinely remembers what you have done.
Rebel Wolves, a studio founded by veterans of CD Projekt Red, held its Road to Launch showcase this week, pulling back the curtain on The Blood of the Dawnwalker — a vampire-themed action RPG and the team's first original title.
The game follows Coen, a farmer whose family is kidnapped by the ruthless lord Brencis as part of a dark ritual. In the aftermath, Coen becomes a Dawnwalker — human by day, vampire by night — and has thirty days to build enough power to free them. Rather than a punishing countdown, time functions as a resource players choose how to spend, moving through the gothic medieval world of Vale Sangora at their own pace.
Vale Sangora is rooted in the Carpathian Mountains of Eastern Europe, designed to feel culturally grounded rather than generically fantastical. Combat draws from three skill trees — Swordmastery, Witchcraft, and Vampirism — with abilities unlocking based on the time of day, rewarding tactical thinking about when and how to engage enemies.
The world responds to player behavior through an edict system: as Coen undermines Brencis' regime, the lord's decrees grow harsher across the kingdom. Consequences are permanent — kill a blacksmith and his forge is gone for good. Relationships with key characters like the healer Anca, the rebel Marat, and the enigmatic Lacra can evolve into alliances, romances, or betrayals, each reshaping what remains available to the player.
Four pre-order editions were announced, from a digital Standard Edition to a Collector's Edition featuring a SteelBook, hardcover world compendium, map, and a figurine of Coen. All pre-orders unlock the Sangoran Wayfarer's Armour Set early. The game is set to launch later this year.
Rebel Wolves held a showcase event this week to pull back the curtain on The Blood Of The Dawnwalker, the studio's debut title and a vampire-themed action RPG that's been quietly building anticipation since its reveal early last year. The game arrives from a team of veterans who spent years at CD Projekt Red working on The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077—people who know how to build worlds that feel lived-in and consequential.
The story centers on Coen, a farmer whose village is destroyed by Brencis, a power-hungry lord who kidnaps Coen's family as part of a dark ritual. In the wreckage, Coen gains the abilities of a Dawnwalker—a creature that transforms into a vampire when night falls but retains human form and strength during daylight hours. The premise is elegant: Coen becomes something monstrous in pursuit of something human. He has thirty days to build his power and free his family, though the game lets players move through time at their own pace, treating it as a resource to spend rather than a clock ticking down.
The world itself is Vale Sangora, a gothic medieval kingdom set in the Carpathian Mountains of Eastern Europe. Writer Piotr Kucharski described the design philosophy as creating something "both unique and characteristic but also feels like it could exist just beside you"—a place with deep cultural roots that doesn't feel like pure fantasy invention. The developers clearly spent time thinking about texture and specificity.
Combat and progression flow through three skill trees: Witchcraft, Swordmastery, and Vampirism. Swordmastery is always available, giving Coen basic tools like Charge and Broad Swing to handle enemies. His occult abilities unlock based on the time of day—Burning Blood to stagger foes with fire, Voracious Bite to drain an enemy's life force from the shadows. The system encourages players to think tactically about when and how to engage.
What makes the world feel reactive is the edict system. Each day, Brencis' regime announces new rules or effects that ripple through Vale Sangora. As Coen interferes with the lord's plans, his infamy grows, and the edicts become harsher. The game also tracks smaller consequences: if you kill a blacksmith, that forge closes permanently. NPCs can die. Relationships with characters like the healer Anca, the enigmatic Lacra, and the rebel leader Marat can deepen into alliances, betrayals, or romances depending on player choice. These aren't cosmetic branches—they reshape what's available to you.
Rebel Wolves is offering four pre-order tiers. The Day 1 Edition includes a physical copy in a SteelBook. The Standard Edition is digital only. The Eclipse Edition adds a World Compendium, soundtrack, and comic book. The Collector's Edition bundles everything physical: the game in both standard case and SteelBook, a hardcover World Compendium, a map, and a figurine of Coen. Everyone who pre-orders gets the Sangoran Wayfarer's Armour Set as an early unlock, though it can be earned in-game later.
The Blood Of The Dawnwalker launches later this year. What's clear from the showcase is that Rebel Wolves isn't trying to reinvent the open-world RPG—it's trying to make one where your choices feel like they actually matter, where the world remembers what you've done, and where becoming a monster in service of saving your family carries real weight.
Notable Quotes
Creating a world that is both unique and characteristic but also feels like it could exist just beside you.— Piotr Kucharski, writer
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does the time mechanic matter so much here? Thirty days sounds like pressure.
It is, but only if you let it be. The game tells you upfront how long actions take. You can spend a day exploring or a day training. You're not racing against a hidden clock—you're deciding what matters most to you.
So if I ignore the main quest and just wander Vale Sangora, what happens?
The world keeps moving. Brencis keeps issuing edicts. Your infamy grows. The consequences don't pause. But you're not punished for it—you're just living with what you chose.
The blacksmith dying and closing his forge—that's permanent?
Yes. If you kill him, that service is gone. You can't reload and undo it. That's the kind of consequence most games talk about but don't actually enforce.
What's the appeal of becoming a vampire if you're already a skilled swordsman?
The vampire form gives you abilities the human form can't touch. Voracious Bite, for instance—you can't do that in daylight. It's not about being stronger; it's about having different tools for different moments. You're not one thing.
And the relationships—can you actually betray someone?
Completely. You can ally with Marat's rebellion or work against it. You can romance Anca or use her. The game doesn't judge you. It just remembers.
These developers came from CD Projekt Red. Does that DNA show?
You can feel it in the world-building. They know how to make a place feel like it has history and weight. But this is their own thing—smaller, more focused, less sprawling than The Witcher.