Romero Games Reportedly Shuts Down After Xbox Cuts Funding

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According to reports, the game development studio known as Romero Games, led by longtime industry duo John and Brenda Romero, has allegedly been closed following the termination of their ongoing project. It’s been suggested that the demise of the company, founded in 2015, was triggered by recent job cuts at Microsoft and Xbox.

Approximately 9000 employees were impacted by Microsoft’s layoffs, making it one of the most significant reductions in recent years. Interestingly, these cuts not only affected Microsoft’s internal studios but also hurt third-party partner studios as well. Previously, Romero Games had announced the shelving of an unnamed project following a loss of funding from their publisher, believed to be Xbox. However, it appears that the Irish developer has faced more hardships than initially revealed.

According to a Romero Games employee, the company has been shut down, resulting in everyone being let go, as reported by The Journal. It’s said that John Romero and the company’s publisher had a meeting the day before this announcement was made, but there was no indication at that time of such a decision being made. However, the team was praised for their significant advancements on the project. The source added that the developers remained hopeful about the game’s release. They described the cancellation of the game as disheartening and emotionally challenging, but they are now looking into alternative funding methods for the project.

Romero Games Reportedly Closed Down

It’s plausible that Romero Games might close, although this hasn’t been confirmed officially yet. This speculation arises in light of recent layoffs at Microsoft, which led to the shutdown of the Perfect Dark studio, The Initiative. However, it’s important to note that unlike The Initiative, Romero Games wasn’t established or acquired by Xbox.

2024 saw Xbox closing down Tango Gameworks, the studio behind the popular game “Hi-Fi Rush”. However, following a takeover by Tencent, there’s a possibility that this seemingly canceled game could resurface under a new label in the future. Given the comment from a Romero Games employee about seeking alternative funding sources, it’s not unreasonable to speculate. Moreover, with John Romero, a respected figure known for his work on blockbuster IPs like “Doom” and “Wolfenstein 3D”, at the helm, the project becomes even more enticing to potential partners.

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2025-07-05 19:15