No Vampire Survivors sequel for us unless its creator comes up with something 'radically new'

Dracula himself looking at camera face on with blue background and castle off to side

(Image credit: poncle)

Our favourite roguelike of 2022 isn't likely to get a sequel any time soon. In a chat with GameSpot, Vampire Survivors creator Luca Galante said that, unless he devised some way to "offer something radically new" with a potential Vampire Survivors 2, a sequel would remain "unlikely".

It's not like Galante is packing it in entirely on Vampire Survivors, mind you. The reason he's apathetic about a sequel is because he feels like the current game provides a good foundation to expand upon. "With the way Vampire Survivors is designed, we can deliver both new content and new game mechanics on the existing game," he said, "so why make a sequel?" That goes for a "spiritual successor," too. Galante seems wholly committed to the game he's already made.

It's vaguely amusing, given the deluge of Vampire Survivors clones we saw after the game took off last year, that Galante has no desire to make one himself, but it makes sense. If Galante can do everything he wants to do with the platform he already has—one which has already attracted a passionate fanbase that's absolutely rabid for new content—why leave it to dry up while he works on a sequel?

It reminds me a bit of how the Among Us devs cancelled their planned sequel when that game took off during the pandemic. There's just not much reason to mess with a good thing. So, until Galante can figure out something "radically new," he's sticking to his DLC plan for the game we have. It seems to be working: The game's first DLC, Legacy of the Moonspell, currently enjoys a 96% positive rating on Steam based on over 1500 reviews.

Plus, the game's fans are as dedicated as ever, with even Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer finding over ten days of free time to 100% the game in its current state, despite overseeing the biggest corporate acquisition in gaming history.

One of Josh's first memories is of playing Quake 2 on the family computer when he was much too young to be doing that, and he's been irreparably game-brained ever since. His writing has been featured in Vice, Fanbyte, and the Financial Times. He'll play pretty much anything, and has written far too much on everything from visual novels to Assassin's Creed. His most profound loves are for CRPGs, immersive sims, and any game whose ambition outstrips its budget. He thinks you're all far too mean about Deus Ex: Invisible War.