The Blood of Dawnwalker Release News and Official Announcements#
📅This page only records things that have already happened. The official announcements are listed in chronological order, and review scores and sales figures are taken from public reporting.
1. The Full Timeline#
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | Officially revealed with a CG trailer, confirmed for PC / PS5 / Xbox Series X|S |
| June 8, 2025 | First gameplay trailer at the Xbox Games Show, 2026 release window confirmed |
| June 21, 2025 | Roughly 50-minute deep-dive gameplay stream, showing over 20 minutes of pre-beta footage |
| August 2025 | Gamescom showcase with around 25 minutes of gameplay |
| November 2025 | A community bulletin formally introduces the vampire leader lineup and reveals the voice cast |
| January 2026 | A “release year” special trailer reveals the key art and main theme |
| April 28, 2026 | The Road to Launch stream confirms the release date, opens pre-orders and details each edition |
| August 2026 | Console gameplay footage released, alongside graphics modes and frame rate targets |
| September 2, 2026 | Review embargo lifts |
| September 3, 2026 | Official release |
| September 6, 2026 | Developer announces sales have passed 1 million copies |
2. First Reveal: January 2025#
In January 2025 Rebel Wolves released the first CG trailer, the game was officially titled The Blood of Dawnwalker, and it was confirmed as a single-player open-world dark fantasy action RPG built in Unreal Engine 5.
Developer talks in the same period laid out several basic settings: 14th-century Europe, the Black Death backdrop, the role of the day/night cycle, and the protagonist’s identity as a Dawnwalker.
3. Gameplay Debut: June 2025#
| Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
| June 8 | First gameplay trailer at the Xbox Games Show |
| June 21 | Roughly 50-minute deep-dive gameplay stream, including over 20 minutes of pre-beta footage |
That stream focused on directional combat, daytime witchcraft, vampire abilities, three skill trees and the equipment system. Many of the ability names revealed afterwards line up with the systems in the final game.
4. Gamescom: One Quest, Two Versions#
In August 2025, Gamescom saw around 25 minutes of gameplay shown, with the same quest demonstrated twice: the daytime version leans on investigation, dialogue and witchcraft, while the night version shifts to infiltration, combat and a boss fight.
That showcase is also why people started comparing it to Dishonored and the Batman: Arkham series.
5. Pre-Orders and Editions: April 2026#
The Road to Launch stream on April 28, 2026 confirmed three things: the release date, pre-orders going live, and the exact contents of each edition.
| Edition | Steam China price | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition | ¥298 | The base game |
| Eclipse Edition | ¥368 | Base game + digital world compendium + digital soundtrack + digital comic |
The pre-order bonus is the “Sangora Traveler’s Armor Set.”
6. Console Performance Revealed: August 2026#
One month before launch, the console gameplay footage went public along with the graphics mode targets.
| Platform | Quality mode | Balanced mode |
|---|---|---|
| PS5 / Xbox Series X | Dynamic 4K, 30 FPS target | Dynamic 4K, 40 FPS target |
| PS5 Pro | Enhanced visual quality in both modes | Same as left |
7. Review Embargo Lift: September 2, 2026#
| Platform | Metacritic | Review count |
|---|---|---|
| PC | 84 | 36 reviews |
| PlayStation 5 | 83 | 58 reviews |
| Xbox Series X | 86 | 6 reviews |
IGN scored the game 9, calling it one of the best vampire-themed works of this generation.
8. Official Release: September 3, 2026#
The game launched on schedule for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with subtitles in 15 languages including Simplified and Traditional Chinese, English voice acting, and a Mature rating.
9. Launch Sales: 1 Million in 3 Days#
On the third day after release, Rebel Wolves announced on social media that sales had passed 1 million copies. For a studio’s debut work, that pace is considerable.
10. What Comes Next#
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Series sequel | Officially confirmed to be in development |
| Choice carryover | Key choices from this game take effect in the sequel through save data |
| Position of this game | The first chapter of a series, not a standalone work |
11. Quick Reference#
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Reveal date | January 2025 |
| Release date | September 3, 2026 |
| Developer | Rebel Wolves |
| Publisher | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 5 |
| Launch sales | Over 1 million copies within 3 days |
Closing Thoughts#
From the January 2025 reveal to the September 3, 2026 release, the game took roughly 20 months to go from announcement to launch, a fairly tight schedule. When new official information arrives, this page will keep being updated.
— Long Zhuiri, Editor-in-Chief at NTGame