Another AA developer joins the ever-growing pile of husks being left in the wake of major publishers. This time it’s Pieces Interactive, the studio behind the recent Alone in the Dark remake. The reasons for the studio’s shuttering aren’t clear yet, but speculation has it that it has do to with Alone in the Dark’s performance.

As reported by Game Watcher, Embracer Group has not yet released a statement regarding the closure, but Pieces Interactive’s website has been updated with a splash image confirming it. While some would say that this is to be expected considering that Alone in the Dark was just okay, it should also be noted that Pieces Interactive worked to support many other studios such as Koei Tecmo, Paradox Interactive and even Arrowhead Game Studios. These guys were more than just Alone in the Dark, yet here they are anyway.

Actually, let’s be real for a moment. Even if Alone in the Dark had been very well-received breakout success, that still wouldn’t necessarily mean the studio would have been safe. After all, this is the same industry that saw Tango Gameworks shuttered despite releasing one of 2023’s most celebrated games. Success isn’tenough to keep you off the chopping block anymore. If you’re studio isn’t making the next Fortnite it’s only a matter of time before it gets axed.

This is where we’re at whenever these gargantuan corporations are involved now. Embracer Group wasn’t even supposed to be shooting for AAA. Supposedly it was going to be a AA-focused venture at first, but this AAA behavior doesn’t seem to support that. What an absolute state the gaming business is in these days, eh?

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What’s your take on all these closures? Do you think AAA (and now AA) can continue to function at this rate?

Image from the Steam page