Paradox Interactive parts ways with studio Harebrained Schemes after a "disappointing" game launch

by Danny Craig ·

Paradox Interactive

Following the poor commercial performance of its recent title The Lamplighters League, publisher Paradox Interactive has announced a split with developer Harebrained Schemes, allowing the company to operate independently beginning next year.

The details:

Harebrained Schemes will be an independent studio once again on January 1, 2024, according to a statement posted on Paradox's website. The decision was said to be a "mutual agreement, stemming from each party's strategic and creative priorities." “Paradox has refocused its strategy towards its core niches within strategy and management games with endless qualities,” said Charlotta Nilsson, COO of Paradox. “We and HBS’ leadership have been discussing what would happen after the release of The Lamplighters League, but a new project or sequel in the same genre was not in line with our portfolio plans. Hence, we believe that a separation would be the best way forward.”
The rights to the studio's most recent release, The Lamplighters League, as well as its other titles, will be retained by Paradox, with HBS now looking for new publishing, partnership, and investment opportunities while continuing to support The Lamplighters League until the end of the year.
The Lamplighters League was a commercial failure, with Paradox describing the game's performance as a "big disappointment." Shortly after the weak release, it was announced that the majority of HBS' staff would be laid off, and while no exact figure was confirmed, an alleged former employee claimed that roughly 80% of the company's workforce was laid off.

More gaming news:

Mojang has revealed that Minecraft has sold 300 million copies since its initial release in 2009. The sandbox title is the best-selling game in history, outselling Grand Theft Auto V by more than 100 million units.
Frontier Developments, the developer of F1 Manager, has announced that it will lay off employees following an "organizational review" due to its weak financial results. The studio hopes to reduce operating costs by up to 20% by cutting back on spending across the board.