According to Wccftech, independent Polish developer Rebel Wolves is creating The Blood of Dawnwalker as their debut open world action RPG, set for release next year on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X. The studio was founded in 2022 by former CD Projekt RED developers with some NetEase investment, and Bandai Namco will publish the game. Game Director Konrad Tomaskiewicz revealed at the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 that the game completely eliminates the traditional main quest structure. Instead, players know where their enemy is and can attack anytime, choosing whether to go alone, find powerful items, develop their character, or gather allies through side quests. The approach specifically draws inspiration from the first two Fallout games rather than modern open world RPGs. The developers also confirmed the game will feature heavy consequences for both action and inaction, emphasizing strong roleplaying elements.
Going back to RPG roots
Here’s the thing about modern open world games – they’re often just theme parks with pretty scenery. You follow the main quest marker, do the side content when you feel like it, but there’s always that golden path pulling you forward. The Blood of Dawnwalker is basically saying “screw that” and returning to the design philosophy that made the original Fallout games so revolutionary.
Remember when RPGs actually felt like roleplaying? When your choices mattered and the world didn’t wait for you to be ready? That’s what Tomaskiewicz is describing. You know where your enemy is – the game doesn’t hold your hand or force you through fifty hours of story before the real confrontation. And that changes everything about how you approach the world.
When your choices actually count
The heavy consequences angle is what really sells this approach. In most games, “consequences” means different dialogue options or which NPCs like you. But if there’s no main quest pushing you forward, your decisions about what to do – and what NOT to do – become the actual story. Ignore that brewing conflict in the northern territories? Well, don’t be surprised when that region falls to your enemies while you’re off hunting treasure.
This is where the pen-and-paper comparison makes perfect sense. In tabletop RPGs, the game master doesn’t have a script – they react to what the players choose to pursue. The world feels alive because it exists independently of your character’s journey. That’s incredibly difficult to pull off in a video game, but if Rebel Wolves can manage it? We’re looking at something special.
More than just Witcher with a different coat of paint
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room – this comes from former Witcher developers, and on the surface it looks similar. But the design philosophy couldn’t be more different. The Witcher games, for all their quality, are very much story-driven experiences with clear progression paths. The Blood of Dawnwalker seems to be embracing systemic gameplay where the player’s creativity, not the developer’s script, drives the experience.
Is this the future of open world RPGs? Maybe not for everyone – some players genuinely want that guided narrative experience. But for those of us who’ve been craving true freedom in our virtual worlds, this approach feels like a breath of fresh air. The fact that it’s coming from developers who clearly understand both modern production values and classic RPG principles? That’s exciting.
gaming-meets-industrial-computing”>When gaming meets industrial computing
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