Bithell Games — the studio behind Tron: Catalyst and John Wick Hex — is preparing to launch Vampirium: 1997, a vampire-themed immersive sim, into Steam early access soon. Players take on the role of a descendant of Dracula's empire, working as an assassin tasked with eliminating the monarch's enemies by infiltrating the lairs of rival vampires. The release matters partly because the studio has struggled financially in recent years, and an early access launch appears intended to get the game generating revenue as quickly as possible.

The game blends hitman-style mission design with tile-clicking navigation and dialogue choices, letting players distract, dispose of or dismember guards using items found in each environment. Approaches range from silent stealth to loud, direct assaults, with options to hypnotise NPCs or lure targets into sunlight, as demonstrated in a walkthrough by studio boss Mike Bithell featuring a mission to kill a target named Zsombor. Completing levels earns "wrinkles" for replayability and XP to tailor powers, and the game is expected to spend around two years in early access, with the full release adding several new levels, objects, powers and a higher level cap. Interested players can wishlist it on Steam.