u/Grinthal

For those who want to edit the images like this:

App: AirBrush

-Lighting

-Flash Night

Yesterday, Code Vein II reached a 24-hour Steam peak of 805 players. Today, that number has increased to 950. This is your best number this May.

The announcement of Mask of Idris and the free Version 2.0 update seems to have brought more players back, making this the highest monthly peak since April.

According to the post, Lu-Magmel is a vampire girl found in the Abandoned World. She acts to prevent the Abandoned World from expanding and, upon reuniting with the protagonist, warns them that they must leave the Abandoned World.

The post also features her tagline:

"A solitary girl embraced by the Abandoned World."

--

They also posted the description of the Discarded World.

[Discarded World]

A world formed by the convergence of the desires of worlds that disappeared due to alterations in history.

At its center, a massive vortex of desires attracts desires from across all space and time, continues to expand, and is on the verge of affecting the real world as well.

This will be the stage for the protagonist's new adventure.

Am I the only one getting major Code Vein 1 vibes? That first image in the post reminded me of the Cathedral (?)

Some of these areas don't feel like big open-world zones. They remind me much more of the linear levels from the first game, or even the Memory Echoes in Code Vein II, especially Holly Asturias' memories, the amusement park, the church, and the apartment.

Personally, I love that. These environments feel more focused and carefully designed, and I'm really hoping Mask of Idris leans more in that direction.

Maybe it's just me... What do you think?

Ever since the first details about Mask of Idris were revealed, one image has been stuck in my mind.

Lou Magmel's heart.

At first glance, it looks like corruption.

A glowing crimson core.

Dark veins spreading across her body.

A design unlike any other Revenant we've seen.

But after reading the official description of the DLC...

I don't think that's corruption anymore.

I think it's a seal.

Here's why.

Bandai Namco officially described the Wasted World as a world created from the accumulated emotions of countless worlds erased because history itself was altered.

That sentence immediately reminded me of one person.

Idris.

Throughout Code Vein II, Idris repeatedly erased entire timelines and worlds.

But...

What happened to all the people who lived there?

To their memories?

Their hopes?

Their grief?

Their fear?

A world may disappear...

But perhaps emotions don't.

What if every erased world left behind emotional residue?

And after countless timelines were erased...

Those emotions eventually merged together, giving birth to the Wasted World.

If that's true...

Then Lou's heart suddenly becomes much more interesting.

Look closely at the official artwork.

Her heart isn't simply glowing.

It's trapped.

It almost looks as if something has been deliberately sealed inside a cage surrounding her chest.

But what caught my attention even more are the black veins spreading outward from that prison. They don't look like corruption consuming Lou. They look like something inside is constantly pushing against the seal, trying to break free.

What if those black veins aren't consuming her... but are actually the pressure of the Wasted World itself, desperately trying to escape?

What if that crimson core isn't corruption...

What if it's literally the seal holding back the emotions of countless erased worlds?

That would explain why Lou is desperately trying to stop the Wasted World from spreading.

Not because she's infected...

But because she's carrying it.

And suddenly Liv Voda's role also starts making sense.

Liv was once the guardian of the Space-Time Rift.

The Rift manipulates history.

Idris erased worlds through changes in history.

The Wasted World is formed from the emotions left behind by those erased worlds.

These aren't isolated concepts anymore.

They seem to be pieces of the same puzzle.

One controls time.

One created forgotten worlds.

One carries the consequences.

Maybe Lou isn't the victim of the Wasted World.

Maybe she's the prison keeping it contained.

And if that prison ever breaks...

Perhaps every emotion, every memory, and every world Idris erased could flood back into reality all at once.

That would also explain why Bandai calls this a story expansion, rather than just another adventure.

Maybe this isn't just a new world.

Maybe it's the consequence of everything we've done throughout Code Vein II.

Just a theory...

🌌 A brand-new story expansion

Unlike the DLCs from the first Code Vein, Mask of Idris is a full story expansion that continues after the main game, taking players into a mysterious world affected by distortions in space and time.

🗺️ A new world: The Wasted World

The expansion takes place in the Wasted World, a realm created from the accumulated emotions of worlds that disappeared due to changes in history. Those distorted emotions have now begun to affect reality itself.

👥 New characters

Liv Vorda

Valentin Vorda's half-sister.

Former guardian of the Space-Time Rift.

Abandoned her duties out of boredom.

Has a belligerent personality, and her hair and eyes glow brightly whenever her emotions intensify.

Lou Magmel

A mysterious young vampire girl.

Fights to stop the spread of the Wasted World.

Appears to guide the protagonist throughout the expansion.

📖 DLC access requirements

To access Mask of Idris, players must:

Reach the second ending, "Moon of Harmony."

Progress Valentin's friendship questline until "Exchange Opinions with Valentin: Book of Magmel Island."

This confirms that the expansion is intended as post-game content, directly connected to the main story.

🔄 Free Version 2.0 Update

A free Version 2.0 update will launch alongside the expansion, adding new post-game content, additional features, and more updates to be revealed in the future.

That's everything officially revealed so far.

​

I think this is worth sharing with anyone who's still on the fence about playing Code Vein II.

When the game launched, many people saw the overall "Mixed" rating on Steam and decided to move on without giving it a chance.

But games can change over time.

Today, Code Vein II's Recent Reviews have climbed to 71% positive, showing that many players who picked up the game more recently are having a much better experience than the launch reviews might suggest.

Does that mean everyone will love it?

Of course not.

No game is for everyone.

But if the Steam rating was the only reason you decided not to play, maybe it's worth taking another look.

You might be missing:

• Incredible weapons

• A beautiful anime-inspired world with a unique atmosphere. (aesthetics and art designer)

• One of the best character creators in the genre.

• Deep build customization through the Blood Code system.

• Memorable characters and an emotional story.

• A fantastic soundtrack.

• A passionate community that's still discussing lore, sharing builds, creating theories, and talking about the future of the franchise every single day.

Not to mention that Mask of Idris, a brand-new story expansion, is still on the way.

Sometimes, the best time to try a game isn't at launch.

It's after it has had time to grow.

---

And one more thing... don't expect Code Vein II to be Elden Ring. They're trying to deliver different experiences. If you're looking for the hardest soulslike with a massive open world, there are other games that do that better. But if you're looking for memorable characters, a beautiful anime-inspired aesthetic, a flexible build system, a great soundtrack, and a story-driven experience, Code Vein II has a lot to offer.

We still don't know which games will be featured, but with Mask of Idris already announced, Hiroshi Yoshimura's recent interviews, and all the recent activity surrounding Code Vein II, it's hard not to wonder...

Could Code Vein make an appearance at Gamescom?

🩸 Gamescom Opening Night Live: August 25, 2026

🩸 Gamescom 2026: August 26–30, 2026

After reading and translating Hiroshi Yoshimura's recent Famitsu interview, I came away with a completely different impression about the future of the franchise.

What stood out to me wasn't a new announcement.

It was the way Yoshimura talked about Code Vein.

At no point did he speak about the series as if it were a finished project or a franchise that had already reached its limit.

Quite the opposite.

He repeatedly talked about continuing.

He said he wants to continue creating experiences that move players and make people fall in love with games.

He emphasized that maintaining an ongoing dialogue with the community is one of the most important parts of his work.

He proudly mentioned that characters like Josée and Lou became extremely popular among players.

He also explained that one of Bandai Namco's greatest strengths is its ability to expand Code Vein beyond games, specifically mentioning figures, anime, and other media as possibilities within the Bandai Namco Group.

On top of that, he confirmed that the Mask of Idris DLC is actively in development and progressing smoothly.

None of those comments sound like someone giving up on a franchise.

Quite the opposite.

They sound like a director who still believes in Code Vein, a studio that continues investing in the series, and an IP that still has plenty of room to grow.

At the same time, I think it's interesting to look at the community itself.

The biggest discussions have never really been about whether there should be a third game.

They've always been about what direction that third game should take.

Some fans still prefer the first game's melancholic atmosphere, interconnected world, exploration, constant sense of mystery, and world-building.

Others prefer Code Vein II's more refined combat, cinematic storytelling, stronger focus on character relationships, and emotional journey.

And honestly, I don't see those strengths competing with each other.

I see them as two halves of the same franchise.

Sometimes I even wonder if this was always the role Code Vein II was destined to play.

Not necessarily to surpass the first game in every aspect.

But to expand the universe, experiment with new ideas, introduce a new generation of characters, show the developers what worked, what divided opinions, and, most importantly, give them the opportunity to listen to the community.

Perhaps Code Vein II will eventually be remembered as the game that laid the foundation for something even bigger.

A bridge between everything that made the original Code Vein so beloved and everything a future Code Vein III could become.

If the team truly continues listening to its players, just as Yoshimura emphasized several times during the interview, then all of those lessons could become the franchise's greatest strength going forward.

That's exactly why I believe Code Vein III could become Bandai Namco's biggest opportunity for this IP.

Not by choosing between Code Vein and Code Vein II.

But by bringing together everything that made each game resonate with different players.

Imagine a third game that brings back the original's atmosphere, exploration, interconnected maps, and sense of discovery, while keeping Code Vein II's improved combat, deeper character development, emotional storytelling, and everything the team has learned throughout its development.

After Yoshimura's interview, I came away with the feeling that the team is genuinely listening to the community.

And perhaps that's the most important takeaway of all.

Because a franchise doesn't grow through sales alone.

It grows when its creators continue believing in it, continue investing in it, and continue listening to the people who love it.

After everything Yoshimura shared during the Famitsu interview, it's difficult for me to see Code Vein as a franchise that's losing momentum.

What I see instead is a series that is still evolving.

And honestly, I believe Code Vein's best chapter may still be ahead of us.