According to a loosely translated report by CD-Action, an employee at Piranha Bytes told them the studio shut down by the end of June.
This was reportedly due to investors drying up, including Embracer Group itself, though the devs apparently expected new funding. Embracer’s lack of funding for the team may not surprise players, given the extensive layoffs.
The CD-Action report also seems to feature images of Piranha Bytes’ inactive studio after being shut down.
At this time, Piranha Bytes has not issued an official statement about any closure. Its most recent statement via Twitter/X was in January 2024.
It did address the studio was “in a difficult situation,” though the devs remained optimistic. The team said it would “do whatever it takes to find a partner” for their project.
Fans will likely recognize Piranha Bytes for their work on Gothic, Gothic 2, Elex, and the Risen series. Gothic 2 Complete Classic released on the Nintendo Switch last November.
THQ Nordic recently mentioned plans for a Gothic 1 Remake, with more news coming to an August showcase. However, Steam lists Alkimia Interactive as the developer for that remake.
In a new post on X today, two veterans from Piranha Bytes did announce they are forming Pithead Studio. Jennifer and Bjorn Pankratz stated that Pithead will “develop immersive and fantastic indie games” in the future.
For more of the latest Insider Gaming news, you can read about the Cities: Skylines 2 team delaying the console release window planned for October 2024, and sign up to receive our newsletter.
Meanwhile Dark Horse, Asmodee, and Limited Run continue to operate and burn money without making profit? Embracer is a joke.
Embracer keeps shoveling money into Dark Horse Comics they don’t make profit the manga does good but they invest more in the unprofitable western comic line instead of manga. Embracer should have closed them down a long time ago instead of laying off and closing down gaming employees for their gaming business.