The divisive time mechanic that restricts player actions in The Blood of Dawnwalker may not return for its sequel, according to game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz. He stated in an interview with Eurogamer that the development team will be flexible with the system, implementing it only when it genuinely enhances the story.
Tomaszkiewicz acknowledged that the time mechanic, which limits the player's available time to complete objectives, has been a point of contention for some players. He noted that one of the first and most popular mods for the game entirely removes this feature. Despite this, he encourages players to experience Dawnwalker with the time mechanic enabled first, asserting that the game was balanced to allow players to complete approximately 80 percent of its content within the allotted time.
"We will play with it. If we will have parts of the story, or the whole story, to which it fits, then we will use it," Tomaszkiewicz explained. "If we will have stories where it does not fit, we will not force it. We will play with this system and we will try to use it to boost the urgency of some events in the game. But I'm not saying that in every game we will have the same scheme or loop—it's not like this."
He also addressed the argument that players want to see everything in a single playthrough, comparing it to other RPGs where choices and consequences naturally limit what can be experienced. Tomaszkiewicz pointed to games like The Witcher 2, where a critical choice forces players to miss a significant portion of content, and Obsidian's Pentiment, which uses a strict time mechanic as a core part of its experience. He suggested that missing out on content is an inherent outcome of player choice in many games.
Interestingly, Tomaszkiewicz observed that complaints about the time mechanic have lessened since the game's launch, attributing this to players completing the game and realizing they had sufficient time. He anticipates this trend will continue as more players finish their playthroughs.
"There will always be people who will have a problem with that because they don't like time mechanics at all, but I think that is fine," he said. "They can download the mod and play without it if they want."
Rebel Wolves is already looking ahead to the sequel, with the studio currently seeking a lead writer to help shape the next chapter of the Dawnwalker saga. This indicates a commitment to the franchise, even as they consider how to evolve its core mechanics based on player feedback.