In a move that’s sure to send shivers of delightful dread down the spines of goths and gamers everywhere (and raise some eyebrows), the iconic White Wolf name is officially back!
World of Darkness announced today it’s rebranding to White Wolf and will now be the central hub for licensing and publishing all its deliciously dark transmedia properties. That’s right, folks – Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Hunter: The Reckoning, and the whole grim shebang are coming home.
This isn’t just a fresh coat of black paint on the Masquerade. As part of this significant restructuring, White Wolf and its parent company, Paradox Interactive, are teaming up as co-publishers for the eagerly anticipated (and oft-delayed) Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, which is now slated for an October 2025 launch.
Perhaps one of the most significant pieces of news for tabletop aficionados is that World of Darkness tabletop role-playing game and IP development will be brought in-house.
Although this is not the first time Paradox has announced RPGs would move in-house, they did so in 2020 but also lined up Renegade Game Studios to act as publishing partner. Renegade aren’t named, or thanked, in this announcement, but it seems like they are out.
For fans, this could mean more direct influence, tighter lore integration, and potentially a more unified vision for their favourite settings.
It seems Paradox is looking to empower White Wolf as a more autonomous entity. Operating independently within the Paradox Interactive umbrella, White Wolf will oversee everything from video games and TTRPGs to board games and even streaming shows. The promise is that all projects, whether licensed or published directly, will get the full might of the brand’s development resources and marketing muscle.
Marco Behrmann, World of Darkness Executive Vice President at Paradox Interactive, didn’t mince words, exclaiming,
“The Wolf is back, baby! I’m incredibly excited and proud to bring back White Wolf as an independent business entity, taking the legendary World of Darkness IP portfolio into the future.”
He emphasised that this move is a “huge win for our fans because it empowers us to create the products, experiences, and worlds they want to explore.” Behrmann also highlighted that establishing a dedicated publishing wing for their internally developed TTRPGs will bolster their licensing business and enable faster development of both classic and new IPs with a “clearer long-term transmedia vision.”
The leadership team for this new incarnation of White Wolf includes Behrmann, Jason Carl (Brand Marketing Manager), Nikola Filipov (Director of Licensing), and other key figures pivotal to the World of Darkness’s recent successes.
For those newer to the shadows, White Wolf Publishing was originally founded way back in 1991 and practically defined mature, narrative-driven RPGs with the groundbreaking release of Vampire: The Masquerade. Its success spawned a rich, interconnected universe that continues to captivate players.
