Embracer Group has closed Pieces Interactive after almost twenty years of operations, it was revealed today. The Swedish studio has never been a dominant force in the wider industry, but it has produced some entertaining games and partnered with several top-tier brands on projects over the years. In March, Pieces Interactive released Alone in the Dark, a mysterious, attractive reimagination of the 1992 title – and now, a mere three months later, Embracer has closed the studio down.
On Pieces’ website, there’s a holding image of the studio’s logo accompanied by the caption ‘2007 – 2024 Thanks For Playing With Us.” It’s a sudden move, especially since the Embracer Group recently confirmed it was ‘done with layoffs’ after dismissing a whopping 1,400 people across the wider business and shutting down several studios and offices. Unfortunately, the underwhelming performance and low sales of Alone in the Dark might have been the final nail in the coffin for Pieces Interactive.
In the last year and a half, the gaming industry has wrestled with turmoil as countless companies have made layoffs, cancelled games and other projects, and shut down entirely. We’ve seen every firm from Electronic Arts to Take-Two and from Ubisoft to Activision Blizzard release hundreds – or in some cases thousands – of employees amid a global restructuring effort. For a while, the Embracer Group became the industry boogeyman, leading the charge when it came to shutting down studios and laying off workers.
Recently, the Embracer Group split into three independent entities.
That’s something the worldwide gaming community thought was ‘over’ for Embracer, but this latest news proves differently. After being in operation for almost twenty years, Pieces Interactive has been shut down without any public warning or notification.
Alone in the Dark wasn’t the most successful game ever, but it had promise. It was a solid enough puzzle-thriller title powered by the acting talents of Hollywood-grade performers like David Harbour and Jodie Comer – but it wasn’t enough to draw a substantial number of players to the project. It was admittedly a little rough around the edges when it was released, and while the story was good enough, it remained fairly predictable – but it looked brilliant while doing so.
Until now, Pieces Interactive has worked on the likes of Titan Quest, Magicka, Leviathan: Warships, and Robo Surf, amongst other titles. It’s hard news that yet another studio has closed, but unfortunately, Pieces Interactive won’t be the last victim of tightening financial conditions.
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