Harvey Smith, a veteran game designer and former Arkane studio director, reflects on the closure of Arkane Studios by Microsoft following the poor performance of Redfall, emphasizing the unpredictability of creative efforts and expressing concern for the junior staff affected by the shutdown. He also discusses the challenges of online feedback and the potential missed opportunities with updates and unreleased projects like a Blade Runner game.
Bad Brain Game Studios, founded by former Ubisoft developers, is shutting down on November 17 due to lack of funding after Netease withdrew support, marking another setback for Western-focused game studios in China.
NetEase's MMO studio Fantastic Pixel Castle, led by former WoW designer Greg Street, is shutting down after failing to secure additional funding, with the studio's flagship project, Ghost, still in early development. The closure reflects broader industry challenges, including layoffs and strategic shifts by major gaming companies in 2025.
Heart Machine, a game studio based in Los Angeles, has announced layoffs and is winding down development on its early access game Hyper Light Breaker due to broader industry challenges, but plans to release a final, polished version in January 2024.
The Outsiders, a game studio founded by Battlefield veteran David Goldfarb, is shutting down due to wider cuts at its parent company Funcom, despite recent successes like Metal: Hellsinger and plans for future projects. Goldfarb and his team are determined to continue in some new form, emphasizing resilience despite the challenges faced.
The Outsiders, the studio behind Metal Hellsinger, is closing after 10 years due to layoffs at Funcom, which is shifting focus to Dune: Awakening, with affected staff seeking new opportunities.
Romero Games has closed its studio and canceled its upcoming FPS project due to loss of funding amid Microsoft layoffs, but there is still interest in the game and hope for future development, with the CTO emphasizing support for former staff.
Romero Games, founded by John and Brenda Romero, has closed after Microsoft withdrew funding for its in-development FPS, affecting over 100 staff, despite no prior indication of the decision during recent meetings. The studio was close to announcing new projects, but the closure highlights ongoing industry layoffs and the uncertain future of game development projects. The company is exploring alternative funding options, but currently, the studio is shut down.
Romero Games, an Ireland-based game studio founded by John and Brenda Romero, has been completely closed following Microsoft’s recent layoffs and project cancellations, resulting in over 100 employees losing their jobs. The studio was working on an Unreal Engine 5 shooter, but funding was pulled after Microsoft ended its publishing agreement, leaving the project and studio operations halted. The situation reflects broader layoffs and cancellations across Microsoft’s gaming division.
Romero Games, an Irish independent studio co-founded by John Romero, reportedly shut down following Microsoft's layoffs, with over 100 staff affected. The decision was made at a high level within Microsoft, and the studio had no warning or remaining funds to continue operations, despite hitting all project milestones.
Romero Games, founded by John Romero, has been hit by Microsoft's recent layoffs, leading to the cancellation of their new shooter project and the layoff of the entire studio, with employees and Romero himself expressing sadness over the loss.
Microsoft has canceled the development of 'Perfect Dark' and 'Everwild,' closing The Initiative studio, as part of a broader restructuring following over 9,000 layoffs across the company. Despite these cancellations, Xbox still has more than 40 active projects, and ongoing titles from the recent showcase are unaffected.
Riot Games is shutting down Hypixel Studios, the developer behind the Minecraft-like game Hytale, after nearly a decade of development, citing technical challenges and delays in delivering the game. Despite the closure, the Hypixel server on Minecraft will continue independently, and the team is receiving support from Riot. The decision reflects the difficulties in realizing the game's ambitious vision.
EA has canceled its highly anticipated Black Panther game developed by Cliffhanger, leading to emotional reactions from the team who described it as ambitious and beautiful. The cancellation is part of EA's broader restructuring and focus on key franchises, resulting in layoffs and studio closures, with developers expressing disappointment and hope for future opportunities.
EA has canceled its single-player Black Panther game and closed Cliffhanger Games, leading to layoffs. The move is part of EA's strategy to focus on its core franchises like Battlefield, The Sims, Skate, and Apex Legends, while continuing investments in other projects like Iron Man and Star Wars: Jedi. The cancellation follows EA's shift away from licensed IPs and recent layoffs across various divisions.
