Studio Fizbin, renowned for their creations in the world of gaming such as the hilarious workplace-themed “Say No! More”, and the boundary-pushing roguelike game “Reignbreaker”, has announced they will be ceasing operations soon. The unexpected news comes in just a fortnight before the release of their final game, a captivating and unique action offering characterized by a powerful punk aesthetic.
The cutting-edge studio has been subject to continuous cuts by their parent company, Thunderful, a predicament that sadly adversely affected the continuance of the studio. They endeavored to propose follow-up projects post the release of “Reignbreaker”, in an effort to circumvent the unfavorable circumstances. However, all their planned projects found themselves abruptly halted. It is a poignant scenario, as one would expect that they would be celebrating the fruits of their hard work at this juncture.
Alexander Pieper, a founder at Studio Fizbin, expressed these sentiments in a public statement on their website. He stated, “Our parent company Thunderful made the decision to drastically reduce internal development in November 2024. Since then, we’ve been exploring various opportunities to work on after finishing Reignbreaker. Unfortunately, none of these projects will move forward, leading us to make this difficult decision.”
He further stated, “This means that Reignbreaker will be Studio Fizbin’s final game.”
Thunderful recently cut 80-100 jobs across their studios, and announced a shift in their focus towards publishing games by external developers instead of their own creation.
“Reignbreaker”, Fizbin’s final game, is a marvelously crafted action roguelike that features flamboyantly designed isometric battles and interactions with quirky, hand-drawn characters. Replete with spear-wielding action and upgrade options, the game is set against the backdrop of a tyrannical monarchy and revolves around the player aiming to overthrow the queen.
The theme of the game resonates with real-world issues. Ian Stewart, the community manager, stated that the game takes cues from the increasing right-wing authoritarianism globally and the widening class divide. It channels these into a fascinating gaming experience, a demo of which is available for players to try on Steam. The full game is scheduled to release on March 18th.
Studio Fizbin, prior to this, had been instrumental in creating games that gained positive feedback from reviewers, such as “The Inner World”, a point-and-click adventure, “Minute Of Islands”, a thoughtfully hand-drawn puzzle platformer, and “Say No! More”, a brilliant satire of corporatism. The latter was immensely popular for its concise yet impactful narrative approach and the ideal blend of realism and whimsy in its depiction of systemic issues.
In the face of this unexpected development, the team at Studio Fizbin will be dedicating their remaining time in ensuring the successful release of “Reignbreaker”. They are also committed to providing post-launch support to the game and assisting their employees in finding new opportunities. While it’s a sad moment for the gaming community to see a beloved studio dissolve, the unique and creative offerings by Studio Fizbin will certainly live on in the hearts of gamers all around the world.
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