- Funding for Romero Games' latest game was pulled by the publisher, leading to the project's cancellation.
- The studio has had to lay off a large portion of its staff and is seeking new funding opportunities.
- Romero Games denies the studio's complete closure and is evaluating options to continue operating.
- The impact of Microsoft's cuts is being felt across the industry, affecting multiple studios, including Romero Games.
In the last days Romero Games, the well-known studio founded in 2015 by Brenda and John Romero, has been the subject of various reports about its situation following an unexpected decision by its main publisher. News of possible closures and layoffs have caused some confusion, both in the industry and among the community of fans of the creators of Empire of Sin.
The future of the studio was left in the air after Funding for his next ambitious project was cancelledThis has led to a wave of layoffs and forced the management team to rethink the studio's internal structure, while they look for ways to ensure its continuity.
Crisis after the withdrawal of funding
On July 5th it was reported that Romero Games had lost the publisher responsible for financing its new video game, news that was confirmed just hours after the announcement of a wave of layoffs at Microsoft and the cancellation of other titles in development. Although the specific name of the publisher was not officially revealed, Various employees and sources from the studio itself pointed to Microsoft as being responsible for withdrawing the funds. that kept the project going.
According to statements from former employees and co-founder Brenda Romero, More than a hundred people were affected by the layoffs, including professionals who had been on staff for years. The decision was made at a higher level, outside the studio's own control, which has generated significant unrest among staff and the community.
The quality of work and development milestones met were not in question; in fact, they received constant praise from the publisher before the project's cancellation. The game, a first-person shooter developed in Unreal Engine 5, was already quite advanced but had not yet been officially announced, nor was its name known.
Restructuring and new direction for Romero Games
In the days following the news, the Romero Games' management team insisted that the studio's complete closure is not a realityIn a statement updated on July 8, the studio itself noted that They are going to "re-evaluate" the number of staff and are in talks with various publishers interested in providing support to resume development of the canceled title.
«Romero Games has not closed And we're doing everything we can to ensure it doesn't come to that. Any suggestion to the contrary is incorrect.
– they emphasized in the public note, asking for patience until they can share definitive news.
The team also expressed its gratitude for the community support and solidarity received Following the announcement, numerous former employees have taken to social media to seek new job opportunities and share their experiences with the project's cancellation and the industry-wide fallout from Microsoft's cuts.
Brenda Romero explained that The studio continues to "work quickly to support the team" and the intention now is to take advantage of any opportunity that arises to restart the interrupted development.
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