Indie game studio Possibility Space shuts down, CEO blames a reporter

Risk Area, an impartial recreation studio with workers distributed throughout the globe, was abruptly shut down at present by its CEO Jeff Pressure, former workers revealed on Twitter. The studio launched in 2021 with the purpose of making a AAA title, and it had additionally employed trade notables like Waypoint’s Austin Walker and Ubisoft designer Liz England. Its closure follows the shutdown of Crop Circle Video games final month, one other studio owned by Pressure’s Prytania Media, which he co-founded along with his spouse Annie Delisi Pressure.

In an e-mail obtained by Polygon reporter Nicole Carpenter, Pressure stated he was “shocked” to be taught that confidential details about the studio’s main title, code-named Venture Vonnegut, was shared with Kotaku reporter Ethan Gach. Pressure claims that an unnamed writer “expressed low confidence” about funding the studio any additional, which led to a mutual settlement to cancel the title. Subsequently, he determined to close down the studio solely.

Risk Area is not the primary studio to have recreation particulars leaked to press, and it is unclear why that info was damning sufficient to lose writer funding (and remember, that is solely Pressure’s model of occasions).

Earlier this month, Annie Delisi Pressure additionally issued a equally baffling letter (through IGN) the place she blamed Crop Circle Recreation’s closure on financial downturn, however moreover revealed that she was identified with multiple-sclerosis. She claimed, with out proof, that Kotaku’s Gach might doubtlessly publish her well being particulars with out consulting her: “I stepped down as CEO this winter on a medical go away and whereas I do not know the content material of Mr. Gach’s article, I’ve no assurances that my private well being struggles as a uncommon feminine recreation trade CEO is not going to be coated in his article.”