Ex Witcher 3 devs "studied medieval fighting styles and even have a few trained swordsmen" to really nail Blood of Dawnwalker's melee combat

The group of CDPR alums at AA studio Rebel Wolves aren't messing around when it comes to combat in their upcoming open-world vampire RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker.

Although Rebel Wolves first unveiled Blood of Dawnwalker at the beginning of the year, it wasn't until last week's Summer Game Fest 2025 that we got a proper look at its gameplay and combat, and it didn't disappoint. In the new trailer, we see our human/vampire hybrid protagonist Coen stealth-drop into dagger assassinations, sink his teeth into a neck, and show his expertise with swords in bloody, decapitating fashion.

The SGF trailer isn't quite a gameplay showcase — that's coming on June 21 — but there is enough gameplay to somewhat validate my lofty anticipation for this game. And I'm further validated by this little detail revealed in an Xbox Wire post from creative director Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz.

"Coen trained for years with his father, a grizzled war veteran, so during the day he wields a sword. We studied medieval fighting styles and even have a few trained swordsmen on the team," said Tomaszkiewicz. "The result is combat that feels authentic and grounded, yet approachable and fun."

Unsurprisingly, I'm reminded of The Witcher 3 when I see Blood of Dawnwalker's sword fighting, but I'm eager to see more of the game's vampire-based action. At night, Coen turns into a bloodthirsty vamp, and I'm curious about the different weapons and abilities that unlocks and how it plays out in-game.

Regardless, needless to say I'll be keeping an eye on this one through its launch in 2026.

Blood of Dawnwalker director says the vampire RPG's story is so non-linear that "you can align with the human rebellion or finish the game without ever meeting them”