The worst thing game devs can do if they want to stay in a job is finish a game, as Alone in the Dark reboot studio gets shut down after release
There will be no apologies for putting the bassline from Queen’s ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ theme tune in your head here, but another games studio has indeed bitten the dust within a few weeks of completing work on its latest game.
Pieces Interactive had recently completed work on the Alone in the Dark reboot after being taken over by Embracer in 2017 after previously working with Paradox Interactive, Koei Tecmo, Arrowhead Game Studios, and Koch Media.
While there have not been any official quotes as yet from either Embracer or Pieces Interactive, a visit to the Pieces website now merely shows a black graphic with the studio logo and the legend ‘2007-2024 – Thanks For Playing With Us’
— Pieces Interactive (@PiecesInt) June 17, 2024
Besides the recent Alone in the Dark reboot – which was beset with initial problems before being fixed up quickly after launch, Pieces Interactive is probably best known for its work on Titan Quest expansions, after which it was one of the many studios hoovered up by the Embracer Group as it went on a mass acquisition spree.
Now, with Alone in the Dark released it seems Embracer could find no further use for the Swedish studio as the trend for mass industry layoffs – many after teams finish their projects – continues unabated despite record industry profits.
Ironically the Pieces Interactive website still has its Careers page up, albeit with no open positions.
Alone in the Dark remains on Steam for $35 at the time of writing where it presumably will receive no further support.
While not a prolific poster on X, indeed having posted seemingly just three times on the platform in two years, the last three posts are poignant, consisting of 2022’s Alone in the Dark announcement, March’s Alone in the Dark release, and now today’s shuttering.
The games industry in three tweets everybody.
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