The recent decision by Microsoft to lay off approximately 9,000 employees, which heavily impacts its gaming divisions for PC and Xbox, has left a trail of casualties in the industry. Not only were several first-party studios affected, but smaller developers with behind-the-scenes deals with Microsoft also felt the impact. One such studio was Romero Games, founded by legendary game developer John Romero, which was even rumoured to have shut down completely. Fortunately, that appears not to be the case.
In an official clarification posted via their BlueSky account, Romero Games addressed the circulating rumours regarding the closure of their studio, a topic that had become increasingly muddled in recent weeks.
In the statement, Romero Games firmly denied that the studio had closed its doors. They confirmed that their most recent project was indeed cancelled by an unnamed publisher, widely speculated to be either Bethesda or Microsoft, which necessitated an internal restructuring and affected several team members. However, they stressed that the studio remains active, and any reports claiming otherwise are inaccurate.
Romero Games also revealed that they are currently in a transitional phase, working hard to ensure the studio’s survival. Internal discussions are ongoing as they explore possible next steps and evaluate how to move forward from the setback.
What was Romero Games Working on?
Regarding the cancelled project, the studio has shared that several publishers have already approached them with interest in reviving and completing the game. While specific names were not disclosed, Romero Games stated that they are carefully considering their options and have not yet made any firm decisions.
They concluded their statement by thanking the community for its overwhelming support and promised to share more updates as soon as possible. Unfortunately, no new details were provided about the nature of the now-cancelled project or what players can expect from the team in the near future.
For now, Romero Games continues to fight for its future and fans of the legendary developer can rest assured: the studio isn’t done just yet.
