NetEase has cut ties with in-house studio Fantastic Pixel Castle less than two years after its founding.
Fantastic pixel castle broke the cover in November 2023 develop a new triple-A MMO codenamed “Ghost” under the NetEase banner. However, studio head Greg Street explained yesterday that Fantastic Pixel Castle's time is coming to an end as NetEase's in-house studio comes to an end.
Notably, he stated that the entire team could be cut if it doesn't find another publisher or investor soon.
“NetEase Games was very kind and supportive of finding another publisher for our game. However, in the current market conditions, very few deals are being made for any game, let alone something on the scale of an MMORPG.” Street said in a post on Linkedin..
“We are doing everything we can to find a publisher or investor. At the same time, we encourage our team members to explore future opportunities and support them in the face of uncertainty.”
In a statement sent to Game Developer, NetEase said it was working with Fantastic Pixel to find partners that could help the studio survive.
“We support Fantastic Pixel Castle in its efforts to find publishing and investment partners, as previously announced by the studio. We value and value the hard work, dedication and creativity of every individual and team across all of our studios,” a NetEase spokesperson said.
“Developing and investing in video game projects is inherently a long and complex process that requires constant evaluation and adaptation. We continue to refine our approach with diligence and discipline, carefully assessing both the opportunities and risks in content development to guide investment across our entire global portfolio.”
NetEase announced this earlier this year. remains committed to supporting its overseas studios after Bloomberg reported this. That Marvel Rivals the developer has laid off hundreds of employees across its global network of studios and shut down several projects.
Bloomberg said NetEase is pulling back from international investments to refocus on fewer evergreen, mass-market projects. In response, NetEase said it “has not wavered in its global expansion plans” but added that “organizational changes to improve productivity are a necessary part of our continued growth.”
However, over the past few weeks NetEase T-Minus Zero Entertainment's in-house studio in Austin has closed. and now Fantastic Pixel Castle has been thrown overboard.
The game developer asked NetEase if the company remains as committed to its overseas studios as it said at the beginning of the year. The company did not respond to this specific request, providing the statement above.
