Pieces Interactive has announced their pending shutdown, which comes as a disappointing surprise.
The studio has shared this message on their website, alongside a picture of their logo with the words “2007-2024, Thanks for playing with us”:
“Pieces Interactive released over ten titles on PC, Console and Mobile since 2007, both our own concepts such as Puzzlegeddon, Fret Nice, Leviathan Warships, Robo Surf and Kill to Collect, as well as work for hire titles such as Magicka 2 and several DLCs for Magicka. Our client list includes Paradox Interactive, Koei Tecmo, Arrowhead Game Studios, Koch Media and RaceRoom Entertainment.
In 2017, Pieces Interactive were acquired by Embracer Group after working with the expansion for Titan Quest, Titan Quest: Ragnarök and third expansion for Titan Quest, Titan Quest: Atlantis.
Our last release was the reimagening of Alone in the Dark.”
As reported by Game World Observer, their parent company Embracer reported that their latest title, the Alone in the Dark reboot, did not meet sales expectations in their 2023/2024 financial report. Pieces Interactive also experienced layoffs last April.
The Swedish studio wasn’t particularly well-known, mainly working as a support studio on several titles. Prior to Alone in the Dark, their biggest project was Magicka 2. With Alone in the Dark being their biggest chance to break out, THQ Nordic invested in the title, to add David Harbour and Jodie Comer to cast as the franchise protagonists, Edward Carnby and Emily Hartford.
It is somewhat understandable that the studio ended up closing. While unfortunate, we had already seem Embracer close studios in the last two years after their games failed in the market. The most visible example of that, of course, was Volition shutting down after their failed Saints Row reboot.
What is surprising is this comes after Embracer CEO Lars Wingefor announced that they were finished with restructuring. Lars made this announcement to make it clear to potential investors that they were no longer selling studios.
But given the timing of this announcement, it may have been planned well in advance. Lars’ announcement about the end of restructuring happened the same month that Pieces Interactive had layoffs, last April. So it is possible that Embracer already decided to close Pieces Interactive on or before April. There could be several reasons, such as paperwork or legal rules, that didn’t allow them to finish this closure until today.
GameRanx wishes the former employees of Pieces Interactive well and we hope they can find work placement back in the video game industry.
