In a recent tweet, game developer PixelOpus suggested that the company may be shutting down, leaving fans questioning the future of the studio and its ongoing projects. The tweet reads: “Dear friends, our PixelOpus adventure has come to an end. As we look to new futures, we wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to the millions of passionate players who have supported us, and our mission to make beautiful, imaginative games with heart. We are so grateful!”
Update: IGN obtained the following statement from Sony:
PlayStation Studios regularly evaluates its portfolio and the status of studio projects to ensure they meet the organization’s short and long-term strategic objectives. As part of a recent review process, it has been decided that PixelOpus will close on June 2.
PixelOpus, based in San Mateo, California, was established in 2014 as an in-house studio for Sony Interactive Entertainment. The company has developed games such as Entwined and Concrete Genie, which was announced on October 30th, 2017, and released on October 8th, 2019.
The studio’s origins can be traced back to 2012 when Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Foster City Studio (now San Mateo Studio) product development group decided to collaborate with small development teams. This decision was inspired by the success of Journey, a game developed by Thatgamecompany and published by Santa Monica Studio. Following this, Foster City sponsored a game development program for students at Carnegie Mellon University, providing them with PlayStation Vitas to experiment with. The students’ ability to rapidly prototype game ideas impressed Foster City.
In July 2013, Foster City offered positions to six students from the Carnegie Mellon University development program and three students from San Jose State University. Additionally, two industry veterans were hired to lead the 9-person team, forming PixelOpus. Dominic Robilliard serves as the creative director at PixelOpus.
At the time of the tweet, PixelOpus was working on an untitled project in collaboration with Sony Interactive Entertainment and Sony Pictures Animation. However, the tweet’s content suggests that the studio’s journey has come to an end, leaving the future of this project uncertain.