Annapurna Interactive, the company best known for publishing indie dark horse hits like Neon White, Outer Wilds, and Stray, held its digital showcase this afternoon and saved its biggest announcement for the program's finale. Annapurna's first internally developed title will take place in the Blade Runner universe and will be titled Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth. Given Annapurna's winning track record with narrative-rich Sci-Fi, this is exciting news for gamers and Blade Runner fans alike.
The game's 2033 date places the game squarely between the original Blade Runner film and the 2017 sequel, Blade Runner 2049. Little is known about the game to date, but it will be set in the dystopian streets of Los Angeles, exploring the fallout of the catastrophic blackout that was chronicled in the anime Blade Runner 2022 Black Out. Subtle hints in the teaser trailer and key art suggest the game will feature other franchise fixtures such as the Tyrell Corporation, as well as the artificial humans known as Replicants and the titular detectives tasked with hunting them.
The First Blade Runner Game in 25 Years
Blade Runner 2033 is not only the first game to be developed internally by Annapurna Interactive, but the first new Blade Runner title to be released in over 25 years. The previous Blade Runner game, originally developed by Westwood Studios in 1997, received an enhanced edition release in June 2022. The game featured point-and-click style gameplay chronicling the events of the influential cyberpunk neo-noir film, with some additional lore. In other words, it's definitely time for a fresher Blade Runner experience.
Chelsea Hash, the game director behind Solar Ash and the lead technical artist of What Remains of Edith Finch is at the helm of the new project, leading Annapurna's internal development studio. Both experiences will serve Hash well when it comes to developing Blade Runner 2033, the latest installment in a franchise that has a history of telling compelling high-concept Sci-Fi narratives.
While the precise nature of the gameplay has yet to be revealed, the teaser suggests that players will be stepping into the shoes of a once-retired Blade Runner, similar to Harrison Ford's character in the original film. The press announcement also references Amazon's forthcoming Blade Runner 2099 series, suggesting that the two stories may be related or somehow tie into each other.
Blade Runner 2033 is currently in development. Platforms and a release date have yet to be announced.