GoKawiilQuantic Dream is shutting down its multiplayer online battle arena Spellcasters Chronicles after an early access period of several months. The company says the game "has not reached the audience needed to ensure its long-term stability."
That's something of an understatement. According to the database SteamDB, just 23 players are currently enjoying the game. As a reference, the hit MOBA Dota 2 currently has nearly 550,000 players.
It looks like the company is trying to do right by players before the servers shut down for good on June 19. Any money spent during the early access period will be refunded by request. Keep an eye on the official Discord page for relevant next steps.
Quantic Dream has stated that the discontinuation of Spellcasters Chronicles will also mandate "an internal reorganization." That sounds like layoffs to me. The company did note, however, that it's "fully committed to handling this transition with fairness, care and respect, and will prioritize internal reassignments whenever possible to support our other productions."
The company promises that this decision hasn't impacted the production of the upcoming narrative adventure Star Wars Eclipse. That's good to know, considering we got our first trailer for this game nearly five years ago.
Quantic Dream is the company behind narrative-heavy games like Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls. These are story-driven titles with an emphasis on player choice. Given that the company's games are known for slow and methodical gameplay, a fast-paced MOBA was likely always destined to fail.