Torchlight developer Runic Games has been shuttered by parent company Perfect World Entertainment – and there’s a pun in there somewhere which probably isn’t appropriate to use. Anyway, the studio most recently released the likeable – but, ultimately, overlooked – Hob on the PlayStation 4. It is, however, no more.
“I'm sorry to say that today will be Runic's last day open,” wrote boss Marsh Lefler on the firm’s website. “It's been over nine years since a rag-tag team of 17 developers helped open Runic Games. We've been so lucky for the community that has supported us and made us successful.” The studio is aiding its staff while they seek alternative employment.
In a statement sent to Kotaku, Perfect World Entertainment said that the decision to close the developer was “part of [its] continued strategy to focus on online games as a service”. Now where have we heard that one before, folks? Naturally, our thoughts go out to all of those who find themselves out of work.
[source runicgames.com, via kotaku.com]
Comments 22
@Wormold Sadly it's not just PlayStation, Steam tends to have this problem too. But short of actually moderatoring bad games there isn't much that can be done.
I mean they probably would have closed them anyway seeing as they weren't making the games they wanted them to make.
Online games, online games, online games. It's almost like every part of the world has a constant, perfect internet connection... oh wait...
These service based games are ruining the industry.
I really can't stand this stupid service approach. I personally don't have time to spend playing only one game, because I like to experience as many as my budget will allow. Will people even have time to play all these service games?
Games as a service ey? Guess who’s not playing any of your games ever again
@NinjaWaddleDee Hopefully, no. If the market becomes oversaturated with these kind of games, and they aren't selling as a result of there being too many games of that ilk and not enough time to do play them all, then maybe those publishers/devs will stop churning out games like those.
These stupid publishers are trying to get a phantom audience. There is no bloody audience for service games because the majority of people who buy service games are casual gamers. Meaning they are average consumers. Average consumers tend to buy brands they recognize and trust to deliver the product they paid for.
No one buys Destiny or Call or Duty because they're service games! They buy it because it's Destiny or Call of Duty.
@get2sammyb has said it before. We are just a tiny subset of hardcore gamers, enthusiasts, and hobbyists. We can be very vocal, but there is very little we can do.
"Online games as a service". Idiots!
Torchlight games are really good and i still want to play Hob. It's really sad when a gaming studio closes, hope they find a job soon.
" and there’s a pun in there somewhere which probably isn’t appropriate to use."
What is it? I don't get it or I'm overthinking it.
Oh no, i haven't bought Hob yet but was/am still really looking forward to playing it, it looks fantastic, so sad to hear this news, hope all the devs manage to find new employment swiftly.
I'm so sick of this stupid move towards games as a service, single-player will always be king for me, thank god Sony, Nintendo, Bethesda, indies Ubisoft are still producing them, whilst all the others chase what they think is easy money, but just like mobile, i think the bubble will burst, there's only so many 'games as a service' that can be sustained at once.
Torchlight 2 was awesome! Sad to see these guys go.
@Toadie Couldn't agree more. All games as a service model is unsustainable in my opinion. The industry needs balance.
@adf86 @Wormold Its a problem on ALL platforms. Its no different on Xbox either. On Xbox 360, they split games up into three separate sections - Games, Arcade and Indie.
As such, each had a main front page with the weeks 'big' new release as a main tile with smaller tiles around it of other new or games of interest. This way, there was always an 'equal' focus on at least 1 game from each category.
Since the release of the current gen hardware, they have bundled ALL games together and those bigger budget but still smaller games (like Child of light, AC: Chronicles, Trials: Fusion) which would have been in the 'Arcade' section, as well as any 'indie' game now lose out because they are now in direct competition for space as the 'big' AAA games. I also think that the 'indies' are now priced like the Arcade games that have big publisher support too (not saying that's a good/bad thing). This means you have a 'flood' of games every week added to the store and with the Big AAA games getting the most focus, any smaller game gets washed away.
I also don't think it helped that Sony in Particular (although MS too) offered up indie/arcade games every month. Those that did buy, getting annoyed, that a month or two later seeing those games offered free. Also the lack of demo's hasn't helped sell them either so you get people that may have had an interest waiting for them to be offered free and not being able to 'try before you buy'
I really do think that they should separate the games up again. I know that they are ALL still games but I think the 'budget' (I don't like categorising them all as indie or arcade) should have their own section, have their own 'game of the week' highlight etc instead of trying to compete with the AAA games with big publisher marketing and often multiple different versions that end up pushing the 'little' games further down into obscurity
@sonicmeerkat Think it's a pun on the company name "Perfect World"
@get2sammyb agreed. The closure is more to do with restructuring of the company and business models than anything else. Sales of course might have affected that but not as much as other factors.
It's definitely a loss, but we're talking about a very small company, I don't see why people equate that to a triple A studio closures.
It happens to a lot of indie developers, whether they're independent or a subsidiary of bigger companies.
You have to look at the publishers who decided on such a stupid release date for Hob too. If big titles like Evil Within 2 and Wolfenstein 2 struggle for visibility in such a crowded release window, what chance does a small indie title have?
Honestly, you have to wonder who the he'll us making these dumb decisions sometimes.
Maybe Amazon can get more into gaming. I'm surprised they haven't actually. Then they can support the possibly less profitable games or at least give them a chance.
Torchlight was such a wonderful series, a great homage to Diablo 2. Sadly, perfect world wanted them to turn Torchlight 3 into Diablo 3, and they just couldn't get it done. I'm actually glad they didn't, although sad it cost them their jobs. Better to go out on a high note i guess.
@Hego Okay then I was over thinking it.
Meh
These service based games practices are pure cancer ...
I do like these online games as a service from time to time. But I don't have time to play more than one and I'm also not willing to play more than one at a time.
Last year Neverwinter was my go to game, then came Skyforge, Marvel Heroes Omega after that and now it's Destiny 2. As long as I'll be playing D2, the other games don't even exist for me.
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