NetEase Continues Studio Shutdown Trend

NetEase, the Chinese internet technology company, has announced the closure of yet another game development studio, marking the third such closure since August. This time, the studio in question is Bad Brain Game Studios, founded just two years ago by former Ubisoft developers.

The studio head took to LinkedIn to post the closure announcement, expressing gratitude to NetEase for their support throughout the studio’s operations. However, efforts to find a new partner for the studio were unsuccessful, ultimately leading to its shutdown.

This closure follows a similar pattern to the previous ones, with studios unable to secure necessary funding or find new partners after NetEase pulls the plug on their operations. The studio’s game and intellectual property are now available for acquisition or partnership.

Bad Brain Game Studios, which included founders with experience from the development of games like Watch Dogs, became a casualty of NetEase’s decision to scale down operations. The closure date was officially announced, specifying the last day of operation for the studio.

As NetEase continues to close Western studios and subsidiaries, the future of game development projects and talented developers remains uncertain in the face of these shutdowns.