Don’t Nod, the French developer and publisher behind popular narrative-heavy games like Life is Strange and Tell Me Why, is refocusing its development strategy after recent games failed to meet expectations.
In a note to investors regarding the last financial year, the company notes that both Jusant and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden failed to perform as well as anticipated.
“We are obviously disappointed by our recent performance in an extremely competitive and selective market,” Don’t Nod wrote (courtesy of VGC).
“Despite an excellent critical reception, Jusant and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden unfortunately did not achieve the commercial results we had hoped for, resulting in a deterioration in our 2024 half-year results and leading us to consider all possible options regarding our roadmap.”
In March, Don’t Nod announced that it had seven games in development. The company made changes to its internal structure around that time, forming distinct teams based on three main areas of expertise: Narrative Adventure, RPG, and Action Adventure.
Two titles set to be released by the end of 2027 are currently being reworked to appeal to a wider range of players.
The next major release from Don’t Nod, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, will be released on February 18, 2025. First announced during The Game Awards 2023, the narrative title will follow four friends who reunite after 27 years. The game is the first to be fully developed by Don’t Nod Montreal, which is made up of devs who worked on Life is Strange.
The next Life is Strange title, Life is Strange: Double Exposure, is being developed by Deck Nine and published by Square Enix. It is scheduled to be released on October 29, 2024.
