Polyarc Shuts Down, Sony Leaves Physint, EA-Savvy Merger Considered
The studio behind Moss and Moss: Book II closes after nearly 12 years, while Sony’s retreat from Hideo Kojima’s Physint reportedly shifts another major project toward Xbox. Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is said to be considering a larger corporate combination involving Electronic Arts and Savvy Games Group.
Moss Developer Polyarc Shuts Down After Nearly 12 Years
Polyarc, the developer behind PlayStation VR games Moss and Moss: Book II, shuts down after nearly 12 years in operation. The studio says its work is finished and that it is winding down active development while its staff says farewell.
The closure ends the run of a studio best known for its mouse protagonist, Quill, and its acclaimed virtual-reality adventures. The available reports do not identify a new project or explain whether Polyarc’s closure follows the cancellation of an unannounced game.
Sony Reportedly Leaves Hideo Kojima’s Physint Over Budget Concerns
Sony Interactive Entertainment reportedly steps away from publishing Hideo Kojima’s Physint after concerns over missed deadlines, rising costs, potential profitability, and the project’s lack of permanent exclusivity. Reports also point to the sales performance of the Death Stranding games as part of the decision.
The project’s future now appears to involve Xbox, with reports saying Microsoft is taking over publishing after Sony’s withdrawal. The change follows Sony’s earlier decision to “step away” from the previously PlayStation-exclusive action-espionage game, although the reporting describes the deal’s status differently across outlets.
Saudi Arabia Considers Combining Electronic Arts With Savvy Games Group
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is reportedly considering combining Electronic Arts with Savvy Games Group, its existing games investment company. The proposal comes shortly after a PIF-led consortium completed a reported $55 billion leveraged buyout of EA.
A merger would bring EA’s publishing and development business under the same broader corporate structure as Savvy’s gaming operations. The reports frame the move as a possible consolidation of the fund’s video-game holdings rather than an announced transaction.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Marketing Campaign Gets Miami Approval
Miami Beach approves negotiations with Rockstar Games over a real-world Grand Theft Auto 6 marketing campaign, with advertisements permitted only on a discreet basis. The proposed arrangement would bring the campaign to the city in exchange for millions of dollars, while another report connects the deal to funding repairs for a local football field.
The campaign arrives as Rockstar faces a tribunal over the dismissal of 31 employees connected to union activity. Opening statements from Rockstar and the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain focus on the studio’s secrecy culture, while legal proceedings also reveal that Rockstar allegedly placed a source inside a union-organising Discord server for more than two and a half years.
Separate legal filings appear to provide Rockstar’s first public acknowledgment of a planned 32-player format for Grand Theft Auto 6’s online mode. The documents refer to the multiplayer feature as still in development.
Wardogs Sells 1.25 Million Copies Ahead of Its PS5 Version
Team17 and BULKHEAD confirm a PS5 version of multiplayer shooter Wardogs after the game sells more than 1.25 million copies during its first day in Steam Early Access. The PC launch took place on September 10, with the console release still to come.
The game’s early success gives Wardogs an unusually large audience before its console debut. Its unusual pitch combines large-scale firefights with non-combat roles, including work as a rideshare driver, according to coverage of the Early Access release.