When Konami enlisted Layers of Fear and Observer developer Bloober Team to take on the ambitious job of remaking the original Silent Hill 2, it was a proposition that some found potentially contentious. While it was admittedly a somewhat rocky road to release, when Silent Hill 2 Remake hit the market last October, it quickly garnered high praise from players and critics. The 2024 version was noted for its modern-inspired but respectfully faithful take on one of gaming’s psych-horror masterpieces. Bloober then swiftly followed this up with the news that it had been developing a third-person horror-action title for its own original IP titled Cronos: The New Dawn.
Cronos: The New Dawn perhaps caught fans unaware, since its reveal came so quickly after SH2 Remake, and that it was widely assumed its next project would be connected to Konami’s series. This year’s upcoming entry in the franchise, Silent Hill f, is instead developed by Neobards Entertainment, and is now set to release on September 25. This happens to put it in proximity to Cronos‘ recently announced launch window, and creates a bit of an unorthodox situation between them all.
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If Cronos: The New Dawn Releases in 2025, That Could Be Good News for Silent Hill
Bloober Team’s next upcoming horror title is slated to release later this year, and if it stays on track, it could be a good sign for Silent Hill.
There’s a Potentially Unintentionally Strange Rift Now Between Cronos: The New Dawn and Silent Hill f
To be clear, no party involved has expressed or implied any ill-will towards the others. With Silent Hill 2 Remake being so successful and earning both studios no small amount of goodwill and sales, it was reasonably assumed this partnership would continue. Indeed, it’s known that Bloober has a deal with Konami to produce more content for one of the latter’s IPs. While this project might not necessarily be Silent Hill-related, it’s reasonable to think it is highly likely, and there are no known plans to cease an enterprise that has proven productive so far. Instead, a confluence of circumstances has conspired to possibly create an inadvertent divide, though one that actually may be a boon for horror gamers.
Silent Hill f and Cronos: The New Dawn’s Releases and Deeper Connections Make for an Interesting Situation
Silent Hill 2 Remake simultaneously put Konami and the series back at the forefront of the genre and elevated Bloober Team to a horror developer at the top of its game. Many looked excitedly towards what they would do next, with perhaps a remake of Silent Hill 1 or 3 a natural follow-up. Bloober pivoting to focus on Cronos: The New Dawn relatively soon after SH2 Remake was largely unexpected. And with the likelihood that it’s not done working with Silent Hill either, this displays a lot of confidence in its next original project. But with Silent Hill also heating up, largely thanks to the remake, and the upcoming experimental new entry, Silent Hill f, dropping later this year, it does place it and Cronos: The New Dawn in a position where they may be indirectly in conflict.
Konami also has Silent Hill Townfall on the docket, being developed by No Code, though much less is known about it for now.
Silent Hill f is set to follow Silent Hill 2 Remake roughly one year later, while Cronos: The New Daw did not receive a firm date with its most recent trailer, but it is stated to have a Fall window. They will thus be out around the same time in the often crowded Fall season. If nothing else, the two are AAA horror titles that will be competing for players’ money and time. This commitment is of course doubled for fans who decide to pick up both. Bloober Team delivered a smash hit for Konami last year with Silent Hill 2 Remake. Now, its next game may have to compete with the very franchise it helped reinvigorate.
Of course, nothing substantial may come of this in the long run, and it currently appears that neither Bloober, Konami, nor NeoBards are particularly concerned or in any way at odds with each other regarding the situation. Still, it’s an interesting conflux of events given the relationships between the parties involved, and will be one to watch as their launch dates arrive. Optimally, Silent Hill f and Cronos: The New Dawn both deliver top-tier horror experiences and continue to provide success for all involved in their creation.
Cronos: The New Dawn
- Released
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2025
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ // Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Strong Language
- Engine
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Unreal Engine
- Number of Players
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1