Telltale CEO Explains Why The Wolf Among Us 2 Has Taken So Long
Nearly a decade after Telltale Games first announced a Wolf Among Us sequel, there's finally some good news. The rebooted version of Telltale has committed to a 2027 launch for Bigby Wolf's long-awaited next chapter, as well as a remastered version of his first adventure due out later this year. But what has taken so long? The project has survived the shuttering of Telltale in 2018 and the brand's subsequent revival, a reboot, numerous delays, layoffs, and the now-dissolved partnership with Dispatch maker Ad Hoc Studio — which worked on the game for several years.
In a recent interview with IGN, Telltale Games CEO Jamie Ottilie discussed the company’s journey, the current state of the project, and what fans can expect from The Wolf Among Us 2.
The Road to Wolf Among Us 2
Ottilie acknowledged the long wait for fans, noting that the original game was released 13 years ago. “Some people are on the fence about remasters and why would you be? It's 13 years old and we want to preserve it and make sure it runs on modern consoles and that new people can experience it,” he said.
The company also sees value in the remaster as a way to grow the audience for the sequel. “I can't believe it's been so long. The anniversary is this October. The remaster should be coming contemporary with the anniversary,” Ottilie added.
Fans have long wondered if Wolf Among Us 2 would tell a completely different story to avoid alienating anyone — even if many hope at least some aspects continue from the first game to the second. Ottilie confirmed that it's a new story but set in the same timeline as the first game. “It's a true sequel. You don't need to play the first one to understand it, but it will help. It's the same universe, the same characters, fans should be very happy with what we're doing with the sequel.”
When asked if the sequel would address the cliffhanger ending of the first game, Ottilie said, “I can't say that right now. The other folks on my comms team are on this call will get very upset with me if I answer that question, but some of that will get covered at Summer Games Fest.”
Why Wolf Among Us Was a Priority
Ottilie shared that one of the reasons the new Telltale is so committed to The Wolf Among Us is personal. “Some of it's selfish [laughs]. I think it's important, it's one of my favorite games. One of the things that Mike and I bonded over is it's one of his favorite games. Quietly in conversations, you'll find that a lot of people will express that and put it in their top five or their top 10. It deserves a sequel.”
Ottilie also mentioned that the sequel was a central topic when he talked to the people who helped him rebuild Telltale. “It's been there from the very beginning in terms of like, why are you doing this? What are you doing? Well, we're going to make this game, then we're going to figure the rest out.”
Development Strategy and Partnerships
Telltale has been working with Trick Studios on Wolf Among Us 2 as a co-development partner. Ottilie explained that the company has learned from past experiences and is now building a more sustainable development model. “One of the things that we decided to do as a company in terms of how we built this iteration of Telltale was to understand that development is cyclical,” he said.
The company has focused on internal leadership roles while relying on co-dev partners for content creation. “People that are internal to Telltale are really focused on leadership positions we know we're going to need for the long-term,” Ottilie added.
The Tech Reset and Delays
Ottilie also addressed the delays, citing a tech reset in 2022. “We originally started off with the legacy Telltale tool [and] Unreal Engine 4, and on paper that looked like [it would provide] all sorts of good production gains and tools and scalability and iteration,” he said.
However, after a few years of development, it became clear that this approach wouldn't work. “And so we did a reset on pipeline and went back to square one in terms of how we were building the co-” Ottilie said, before the interview cut off.
This tech reset has contributed to the delays, but the company is now on a more stable path toward completing The Wolf Among Us 2 and its remastered version.
Looking Ahead
While the wait for The Wolf Among Us 2 has been long, fans can take comfort in knowing that the game is now on track for a 2027 release. The remastered version of the original game will also be available later this year, giving players a chance to revisit the world of Bigby Wolf with updated graphics and gameplay.
Ottilie also hinted at the possibility of a Wolf Among Us 3, though no official confirmation has been given. “We're here now, it feels pretty good,” he said, reflecting on the company's journey.
With a new development model and a renewed focus on quality, Telltale Games is committed to delivering the Wolf Among Us experience fans have been waiting for.
