Metal: Hellsinger Developer The Outsiders Shuts Down
▼ Summary
– The Outsiders, developer of Metal: Hellsinger, is being closed by parent company Funcom as part of broader layoffs.
– Studio founder David Goldfarb announced the closure on Bluesky, noting the decade-old studio will shut down.
– The closure follows Funcom’s recent layoffs, which occurred shortly after the successful release of Dune: Awakening.
– Goldfarb reflected that Metal: Hellsinger was created after the team survived the earlier cancellation of Darkborn.
– The Outsiders team plans to continue making games “in some form” despite the studio’s closure.
The video game studio The Outsiders, known for creating the critically acclaimed rhythm shooter Metal: Hellsinger, is being closed down by its parent corporation, Funcom. This significant development was announced by the studio’s founder and creative director, David Goldfarb via a social media post. The shutdown marks the end of a ten-year journey for the Stockholm-based developer.
This unfortunate news arrives shortly after Funcom confirmed a broader round of company-wide layoffs. These staff reductions were announced just months after the company celebrated the successful launch of Dune: Awakening, which it described as the most significant release in its history. While the initial announcement did not specify the number of employees affected, the closure of an entire internal studio reveals the severe scale of the cuts.
The Outsiders was also involved in the development of the hit title Dune: Awakening. The precise number of staff at the Stockholm location who will lose their positions as a direct result of the studio’s closure remains unclear.
In his statement, Goldfarb expressed the suddenness of the situation, saying he has not had much time to process the information. He confirmed that everyone at The Outsiders and the Funcom Stockholm office has been impacted by the layoffs, leading to the studio’s imminent shutdown. He reflected on the team’s resilience, noting that many had previously endured a “near-death studio experience” when their project Darkborn was cancelled. It was the team’s dedication and refusal to give up that ultimately led to the creation of Metal: Hellsinger, a project Goldfarb described as a personal career highlight. He expressed profound gratitude for the opportunity to make the game and for the talented team and collaborative partnerships that brought it to life.
Despite the closure, Goldfarb hinted that the team’s spirit remains unbroken, suggesting they will endeavor to continue creating games together in some new capacity. Requests for an official statement from Funcom regarding the studio closure have been made.
(Source: Game Developer)
