The Blade Runner series is an iconic member of the cyberpunk genre and it may be getting back into gaming. Adapted by Ridley Scott from the 1968 book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep this franchise has been adapted before into video games but the licensing rights to Blade Runner have been recently acquired by 110 Industries. Though nothing has been confirmed, the Swedish studio has discussed the possibility of developing a brand new game set in the Blade Runner universe. What kind of game it is or even when it will be released are all up to speculation for the time being.
A New Blade Runner Game
Based on the book Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick, the Blade Runner movie came out 1982. Despite the acclaim it received and its contribution to the development of Cyberpunk, it didn't receive a sequel until 2017. However, now that 110 Industries have acquired the licensing rights for it, it's possible that the series' future may be in games. Though the team hasn't described how their rumored game will relate to Blade Runner, they're focused on developing titles with futuristic themes. This includes the upcoming Wanted: Dead planned for release this year, Vengeance Is Mine for 2023, and Red Goes Faster for 2024.
While Blade Runner isn't as prolific as other series, it has a well-defined and established universe. Its version of earth is shown to be almost completely dominated by artificial structures and urbanization with anything natural considered a luxury. Corporations dominate the planet and intergalactic trade with the Tyrell Corporation having the technology to create artificial humans called Replicants for dangerous and disposable work. However, Replicants prove to be more advanced than expected and some choose to fight for a better life, sometimes in very destructive ways. In response, special law enforcement agents known as Blade Runners are assigned to track these rogue Replicants and either detain or eliminate them.
Following the release of Cyberpunk 2077, numerous cyberpunk titles came on the market. If 110 Industries is planning a Blade Runner game, this could prove to be a good time to do so.
