this post was submitted on 14 Apr 2024
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In the memo, Possibility Space owner Jeff Strain, who previously co-founded ArenaNet and Undead Labs, tells the studio's staff that he was recently contacted by Kotaku reporter Ethan Gach with questions about the closure of Crop Circle Games, another studio he owned with wife Annie Delisi Strain under their company Prytania Media.

Gach's questions included "non-public information" about Possibility Space's [unreleased] first game, Jeff Strain said in the e-mail, as well as confidential Prytania Media business information, including the identity of its publishing partner. Jeff was shocked, he said, to learn that the information had come from current employees. He claimed that after disclosing the leak to their publishing partner, the company "expressed low confidence they would be willing to invest the additional resources needed to complete the game." Jeff and the unnamed publishing partner then "mutually agreed to cancel" the project.

The letter goes on to announce that Possibility Space is closing immediately, and concludes with the note that Jeff is "stepping away from the game industry" to focus on his family and care for his wife, who recently disclosed a serious medical diagnosis.

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[–] [email protected] 87 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I guess I'm looking forward to the Kotaku report about what the presumably terrible game was going to be

[–] Zugyuk 27 points 7 months ago

Don't forget the abusive management, there must be a large amount of horribleness

[–] MrStankov 85 points 7 months ago (1 children)

When did making games become such a secretive business? Like, oh no! Someone found out what our next game is about! So what?

[–] [email protected] 66 points 7 months ago (1 children)

But now they will also have the idea to make a procedurally generated exploration game with building mechanics! We've lost our secret sauce! /s

[–] [email protected] 20 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Yes, but THIS one has [factory building | solarpunk aesthetics | kung fu???]

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

Okay but kung fu is a very strong selling point

[–] [email protected] 58 points 7 months ago

someone is definitely cutting and running with all the cash in the bank

[–] aeronmelon 28 points 7 months ago

Well, now the article is going to be an obituary.

[–] Arbiter 26 points 7 months ago

I’ve never been so excited for a Kotaku article before.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 7 months ago

If I had to guess, I'd say there were already issues with production, and the leak made that public to investors. Especially with the "low confidence" statement.