- Pieces Interactive is letting go of staff just one month after launching Alone in the Dark.
- The game seems to have underperformed, garnering less than 2,000 concurrent Steam players.
- The studio has yet to confirm the number of developers impacted by the cuts.
Alone in the Dark just released a month ago, and the Embracer-owned studio is already laying off its staff members. Pieces Interactive seems to be under fire after the launch of the reimagined version of 1992’s critically acclaimed title.
Why it matters: Like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, this franchise is one of the oldest horror games. However, it seems the developers were unable to translate the IP to a modern audience’s tastes.
✨IM GETTING LAID OFF✨
I'll make a better post with my links and all that once the feelings has settled, but ugh. My heart is breaking for myself and my coworkers right now https://t.co/hWuY7K3wWG
— Helena Hansen 🌿 LOOKING FOR WORK 🇸🇪✨ (@HelenaEHHansen) April 23, 2024
The confirmation comes from Helena Hansen, an environment artist who proudly shared her work just last month. However, she did not confirm how many employees were impacted.
My heart is breaking for myself and my coworkers.
-Helena Hansen from Pieces Interactive
While the original Alone in the Dark was a huge success, the reimagined version doesn’t seem to have hit the same mark. It managed to gain only about 1,700 peak concurrent players on Steam.
Just a month after the launch, the horror title is achieving a maximum player count of about 100 on Steam. We expect a similar trend on consoles, which may explain the studio’s decision to lay off employees so soon.
Previously, developers like Ascendant Studios laid off staff after Immortals of Aveum underperformed. Additionally, studios like Take-Two and EA have joined the layoffs this year.
According to reviews, the game seems to have been popular among fans of the original. Meanwhile, newer audiences enjoy survival horror in the vein of Capcom’s modern Resident Evil offerings.
Therefore, Alone in the Dark seems to have come at the wrong time. Over on Metacritic, the title was rated just 63/100, contributing to the disappointment. The developer has also been radio silent after launch, hinting that things have not gone as smoothly as planned.
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