The very first Lords of the Fallen release came in 2014, and while it was able to find an audience, it ultimately didn't make a huge splash. Despite a myriad of issues, the 2023 reboot fared much better, so much that CI Games has already announced a sequel in the works for 2026. After spending a significant amount of time fixing the 2023 release, the studio is confident that its sequel, titled Lords of the Fallen 2, will be the studio's "Empire Strikes Back" moment.
In an interview with MP1st, creative portfolio strategist at CI Games, David Valjalo, likened Lords of the Fallen 2 to the famed Star Wars sequel back when the original trilogy was all we knew, or for those who may not have grown up with Star Wars the way Valjalo's generation did, he instead likened it to the studio's Dark Knight moment, the famous sequel in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy.
"We're right on track and in the thick of it now," Valjalo said. "The sequel is looking spectacular. I have the privilege of seeing all the juicy behind the scenes bits and pieces - art, animation, combat, - and each day there's something that just stops me in my tracks. It's bloody, bold, brave...it's a true sequel. It improves on the previous game but carries its spirit forward. It's also a darker game, tonally, with a really unique setting and even higher stakes than the last game, if you can believe that. It's our Empire Strikes Back. Or for Gen Z I suppose it's their Dark Knight."
Strong words from a studio that took two years to release an overhauled "2.0" version of their last game that launched with a bevy of issues, so many that our reviewer called it "one of the most frustrating Souslikes ever released." CI Games also recently permanently reduced the price of the 2023 title, and every game in its catalogue, as part of what it called its "player first" commitment that also couldn't help but read like an apology for the fact that they released a product below their standards two-years prior.
If it does hit its 2026 target release window, then perhaps by 2028 it'll be the studio's 'Empire Strikes Back' for the series.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
