The first trailer for The Blood of Dawnwalker, the debut game from Konrad Tomaszkiewicz’s studio Rebel Wolves, has sent ripples through the gaming community—and for good reason. Tomaszkiewicz, best known as the game director for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, left CD Projekt Red several years ago to form his own team. Judging by this new trailer, he may have taken the last remnants of CDPR’s magic with him.
From the former Witcher 3 Director and their new studio,
Dawnwalker trailer
— Grummz (@Grummz) January 13, 2025
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Set in an alternate 14th-century Europe, the game promises a rich, immersive narrative and a visually stunning medieval world teeming with supernatural intrigue.
Players step into the boots of Coen, a “Dawnwalker,” who straddles the line between humanity and vampirism. Armed with an arsenal of vampiric abilities and traditional combat skills, Coen navigates a kingdom overrun by the Black Death and ruled by a vampiric cabal led by the ruthless Lord Brencis. The narrative setup feels like a perfect blend of gritty medieval realism and supernatural power fantasy—without any overt pandering to modern identity politics.
A screenshot from The Blood of Dawnwalker trailer – YouTube, Dawnwalker
The trailer, which appears to serve as the game’s opening cinematic, introduces Coen alongside his plague-stricken sister, Lunka. It hints at the story’s emotional core: a desperate race against time to save his family. Adding a unique twist to the RPG formula, The Blood of Dawnwalker emphasizes a ticking-clock mechanic, where players must make meaningful choices as they race to achieve their goals within 30 in-game days. Time itself impacts not only the outcome of quests but also Coen’s abilities and even the overall narrative. It’s a bold innovation that hearkens back to the narrative complexity of The Witcher 3 while carving out its own niche.
The stark contrast between this trailer and CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 4 teaser couldn’t be more striking. The latter, which prominently featured Ciri as the lead, was lambasted by fans for leaning into what many saw as social justice narratives. Critics have accused CDPR of prioritizing ideological messaging over the quality storytelling and gameplay that defined its earlier work. Instead of focusing on the rich world of The Witcher, the game’s creative leads noted in interviews that it wanted to focus on the struggle of a woman in a medieval world.
Ciri as a witcher in The Witcher 4 – YouTube, IGN
Where The Witcher 4 seems intent on alienating its fanbase with divisive creative choices, The Blood of Dawnwalker seems to be unapologetically catering to its audience’s desire for a gripping story, dynamic gameplay, and escapist fantasy. The game’s visual style and dark tone echo the beloved Blood and Wine DLC for The Witcher 3, but the trailer also hints at an evolution beyond what CDPR has delivered in recent years.
Of course, this is still just a trailer. We’ll have to wait and see the final product to be certain.
Rebel Wolves is taking a fresh approach to open-world storytelling. Tomaszkiewicz describes the game as a “narrative sandbox,” where the distinction between main and side quests is deliberately blurred. Every choice matters, and the progression of time ensures that no playthrough will be the same. This emphasis on replayability and player agency is a welcome shift for the genre, especially after years of cookie-cutter RPGs from larger studios.
A screenshot from The Blood of Dawnwalker trailer – YouTube, Dawnwalker
“Time is a resource and with each quest progressing its passage, it is impossible to complete all stories and arcs before the dreadful deadline, making each playthrough unique,” Tomaszkiewicz said.
The brief gameplay teaser at the trailer’s end hints at a rich combat system that allows players to exploit Coen’s vampiric powers by day or night, adapting to the dynamic needs of each encounter. The game’s use of Unreal Engine 5 also appears to deliver breathtaking visuals without falling into the “generic” aesthetic that has plagued other UE5 titles.
Witcher 3 director and CEO of Rebel Wolves Konrad Tomaszkiewicz – Rebel Wolves Official Website
While there’s no release date yet, The Blood of Dawnwalker is shaping up to be a must-play for fans of dark fantasy and narrative-driven RPGs. With a full gameplay reveal planned for this summer, the excitement is only going to grow. Rebel Wolves’ ambitious debut looks poised to challenge the stagnation seen in recent AAA titles, and it’s clear that Tomaszkiewicz is once again pushing the boundaries of what a fantasy RPG can be.
For those disillusioned by CDPR’s trajectory, The Blood of Dawnwalker offers hope: a return to uncompromised artistry and storytelling that doesn’t bow to modern ideological trends. It’s a game that promises to prioritize player immersion and creativity over messaging—a refreshing direction in today’s gaming landscape.
What did you think of The Blood of Dawnwalker trailer? How does it compare to Witcher 4? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
