In the wake of Bloodlines 2's struggles, Vampire The Masquerade's most famous face is leaving Paradox

As someone who always loved the world of Vampire: The Masquerade but never quite knew how to get started, LA By Night inspired me to pick up my dice and head to my local game store. I've made amazing friends along the way, rolled consistent bestial failures, and spent many an hour winding down to Annabelle, Jasper, Nelli, and Victor's bloody adventures. In many ways, Jason Carl brought VTM back from the brink of final death, but despite LA and New York By Night's critical acclaim, the World of Darkness' recent videogame endeavors have struggled to stick the landing. With Bloodlines 2 launching to middling reviews and Bloodhunt shuttering next year, both VTM and Paradox's non-strategy output are in a weird place - one could say that multiple things are happening at once.

I wanted to love Bloodlines 2, but like so many recent VTM games, it simply failed to deliver. Paradox has confirmed a $37 million write-down on the project, and the game's lifetime score sits at a middling 57% on Steam. In my Bloodlines 2 review, I praised The Chinese Room's characterization, but with poor combat and a middling narrative, it was never going to join our list of the best RPGs

Having served as the CEO of the original By Night Studios in 2010, Carl was game producer on the fifth edition of VTM in 2018, and has since served as brand marketing manager. But you'll probably recognize him best from LA and New York by Night, which feature a collection of famous faces like Apex Legends and Ghost of Yotei's Erika Ishii, Critical Role and Private Nightmares' Alexander Ward, and even the great Matt Mercer and Brennan Lee Mulligan in passing.

In a post on the World of Darkness Discord, Carl calls his departure "the close of one extraordinary chapter in an ongoing story," noting that "working on Vampire: The Masquerade and the greater World of Darkness has been more than a job or a profession for me.

"What I'm most proud of is not just the stories we told, but the voices we welcomed. From the publication of Vampire fifth Edition to the introduction of the Storytellers Vault program; and from the very first episode of LA by Night to the resurrection of White Wolf at this year's Darkness Emergent celebration, it's been a joy to see new creators bring their own perspectives and passions into the night," he continues. "The World of Darkness has always been strongest when it belongs to many, and I believe its best is still to come."

"Under the stewardship of executive vice president Marco Behrmann, creative director Jess Lanzillo, and the extraordinary creative team now shaping the future of the brand (you'll meet them all soon!), I have absolute confidence that the World of Darkness will continue to thrive, evolve, and surprise us all. Their creativity, passion, empathy, and ambition embody everything that first drew me to this world."

But what's next? "I'll be joining Tabletop Vacations, the creators of D&D in a Castle, as the Dean of Dungeon Master University, a place where Dungeon Masters gather to level up their craft, shape worlds, and kindle the spark of imagination," he says. "It is a new realm, but the same calling: to guide, to share, and to help others build their own stories, together." So sure, I'll miss his quick wit and humor, but equally, if I was offered the 'Dean of Dungeon Master University' title, I'd probably snap it up.

If you'll allow me a little soppy moment: LA By Night was my first ever TTRPG live-play, and meeting Carl at Gamescom this year as part of the Bloodlines 2 tour still brings a smile to my face. I'm certainly excited for the World of Darkness' future, but knowing Carl won't be part of it is bittersweet. Either way, wherever he ends up, I'm sure he'll be telling a vampire story or two.