The recent shutdown of Possibility Space has sent shockwaves throughout the gaming community. Former employees have come forward to reveal the circumstances surrounding the closure, with senior game designer Brendan McLeod asserting that the entire team has been laid off. This news has been further corroborated by former senior environmental artist Matt Graczyk and lead systems engineer Kyle Kukshtel, who have also confirmed their terminations.
According to reports from Polygon, Possibility Space owner Jeff Strain has pointed fingers at the employees for leaking information about the studio’s upcoming game, Project Vonnegut. Strain claims that this breach of confidentiality led to the studio’s inability to secure additional resources from the project’s publisher, ultimately resulting in the cancellation of the highly-anticipated game. This revelation has raised questions about the level of trust and communication within the studio.
The closure of Possibility Space marks the second studio under parent company Prytania Media to shut down recently. Just last month, Prytania Media closed down Crop Circle Games, adding to the growing concern about the stability of the company’s ventures in the gaming industry. With only two other studios, Dawon Entertainment and Fang & Claw, left under Prytania Media’s umbrella, the future of these remaining entities remains uncertain.
Jeff Strain, the co-founder of ArenaNet and the mastermind behind the Guild Wars franchise, is a well-known figure in the gaming industry. After leaving ArenaNet, he founded Undead Labs, responsible for the popular State of Decay series. However, after Microsoft’s acquisition of Undead Labs in 2018, Strain ventured out to establish Possibility Space in 2021. His track record of successful ventures makes the closure of Possibility Space even more surprising and raises questions about the studio’s potential that may have been untapped.
The closure of Possibility Space has undoubtedly left a void in the gaming industry, with talented developers and promising projects coming to an abrupt halt. The allegations of information leaks and subsequent resource issues point to underlying challenges that may have contributed to the downfall of the studio. As the gaming community reflects on this unfortunate turn of events, the future of Prytania Media’s remaining studios remains uncertain, emphasizing the volatile nature of the industry and the need for transparent communication and collaboration within development teams.
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