Bloober Team, riding high on the positive reception of their Silent Hill 2 remake, is eager to demonstrate their growth and capabilities with future projects. This article explores their next venture and their ambitions for the studio's evolution.

Bloober Team's Continued Ascent

Building on Success, Addressing Past Skepticism

The overwhelmingly positive critical and fan response to the Silent Hill 2 remake has been a significant boost for Bloober Team. Despite the substantial changes from the original, the remake was well-received, proving a success against initial doubts. However, the team acknowledges past skepticism and aims to solidify their reputation beyond this single achievement.

At the Xbox Partner Preview on October 16th, Bloober Team unveiled their next horror title, Cronos: The New Dawn. Game Designer Wojciech Piejko emphasized a departure from their Silent Hill 2 style, stating in a Gamespot interview, "We don't want to make a similar game." Development on Cronos commenced in 2021, shortly after The Medium's release.

Director Jacek Zieba described Cronos: The New Dawn as their "second punch" following the "first punch" of the Silent Hill 2 remake, highlighting their underdog status. The initial uncertainty surrounding their involvement in the Silent Hill project, given their prior lack of experience with survival horror, fueled their determination to prove themselves.

Zieba commented, "Nobody believed we could deliver, and we delivered. That was a big honor, that we, as Bloober, could work with Silent Hill and Konami. As horror creators, we love Silent Hill, like, I think, most horror fans [do]." The studio even publicly requested patience from fans during development.

Their efforts culminated in an 86 Metacritic score. Piejko noted, "They made the impossible possible, and it was a bumpy road because of all the hate on the internet. The pressure was big on them, and they delivered, and for the company, it's an amazing moment."

Bloober Team 3.0: A New Era

Piejko positions Cronos: The New Dawn, featuring a time-traveling protagonist navigating a pandemic-ravaged future, as a testament to their ability to create compelling original IPs. Leveraging the experience gained from the Silent Hill 2 remake, Bloober Team aims to surpass the limitations of their earlier works like Layers of Fear and Observer, which had less extensive gameplay mechanics. Zieba stated that the foundation for Cronos was laid during the Silent Hill project's pre-production phase.

The Silent Hill 2 remake marks a pivotal moment, signifying "Bloober Team 3.0." Encouraged by the positive reception of the Cronos reveal trailer and the Silent Hill 2 remake's success, the team is optimistic about their future.

Zieba's vision is for Bloober Team to be recognized as a leading horror developer, stating, "We want to find our niche, and we think we found our niche, so now we just--let's evolve with it. [...] And how that happens is more complex, but it also happens organically in a way, like with [2016's] Layers of Fear, people in the studio were like, 'Okay, we made some shitty games before, but we [can] evolve.'"

Piejko adds, "We gathered a team that loves horror," Piejko adds. "So I think, for us, it would not be easy to switch [to other genres], and we don't want to."