It’s a little hard to believe that Game of Thrones has still not been given a proper open-world RPG set in Westeros yet. Despite the universe’s popularity and the massive success of not only the original HBO show and the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, but also House of the Dragon and now A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the closest we’ve come to a proper open-world Game of Thrones RPG is Kingsroad, a primarily mobile-oriented free-to-play game that had its merits, but ultimately didn’t do the IP justice.
There’s no question that Game of Thrones deserves a sprawling open-world adaptation vis-à-vis The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and while there’s nothing officially on the docket at the moment, the recent announcement of Warhorse Studios’ open-world Middle-Earth RPG has sparked a glimmer of hope among gamers.
That said, there’s an absolutely huge upcoming project that may be the next best thing to a Game of Thrones open-world RPG directly inspired by The Witcher 3, and it features a vampire-focused world that is sure to scratch your dark fantasy itch (via Steam).
Thirsty For A Dark Fantasy RPG?
If you haven’t heard of it already, there’s a stunning new open-world vampire RPG on the way next month titled The Blood of Dawnwalker, scheduled for release on September 2, 2026. It’s a new project from Bandai Namco and former Witcher 3 developers at Rebel Wolves that is available for pre-order now on various platforms, slated to release on PC, PS5, and XBOX Series consoles.
One of the biggest draws is its “narrative sandbox” approach, which gives players far more freedom than a traditional quest-driven RPG. Rather than following a rigid sequence of missions, you’ll be able to shape the story however you see fit, choosing whether to focus on rescuing your family, pursuing revenge against your sire, forging alliances, or uncovering the valley’s dark secrets.
The game promises that no two playthroughs will unfold exactly the same, with multiple paths leading to different outcomes depending on the decisions you make. And that is just one exciting feature of the upcoming dark fantasy experience that could very well be one of the biggest surprise hits of the year.
The Blood Of Dawnwalker Looks Seriously Special
Aside from its choice-driven approach to its storytelling, The Blood of Dawnwalker also introduces a unique day-and-night system that completely changes how you play. During the day, protagonist Coen fights as a human using swords and powerful magic, while night transforms him into a vampire with supernatural abilities, opening up new traversal options, combat styles, quests, and ways to interact with the world.
Rebel Wolves has described the mechanic as feeling like “almost two different games” thanks to the distinct gameplay loops. Add to this a vast open world that’s packed full of opportunities for discovery and exploration, plus stunning graphics delivered through Unreal Engine 5, and gamers are in for a serious treat when The Blood of Dawnwalker launches next month.
The Blood of Dawnwalker
- Released
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September 3, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
- Developer(s)
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Rebel Wolves
- Publisher(s)
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Bandai Namco Studios
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5
- Number of Players
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Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
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Unknown
