Merge Games is Shutting Down

Merge Games is Shutting Down

Key Takeaways

  • UK publisher Merge Games has announced its closure after 15 years.
  • The indie publisher released the popular titles Dead Cells and Darkest Dungeon for consoles.
  • Management of Merge Games’ upcoming titles will now be handled by its parent company, Maximum Entertainment.

As a gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say the closure of Merge Games has left me feeling a tad sentimental. This UK-based indie publisher was instrumental in bringing some truly exceptional titles to our screens, from the captivating “Dead Cells” and “Darkest Dungeon” to the enchanting “Bramble: The Mountain King.


The UK-based publishing company, Merge Games, has announced it will soon be closing its doors. Most recently, they launched “Selfloss,” a popular indie game drawing inspiration from Icelandic and Slavic folklore, as well as “Smalland: Survive the Wilds,” an open-world survival crafting title.

At the beginning of September, Merge Games disclosed the closure of their sole office situated in the English village of Chelford, leading to a number of employees being let go without specifying an exact figure. Christina Seelye, CEO of Merge Games’ parent company Maximum Entertainment, stated that this was part of consolidation efforts necessitating cost-reduction strategies such as staff redundancies. Following the announcement of layoffs in the video game industry several weeks ago, Merge Games has subsequently informed the public about its permanent closure.

After 15 years in operation, Merge Games has announced it will be shutting down. This studio, initially composed of 22 team members, took pride in distributing numerous indie games to marketplaces worldwide. Among the titles they released are the chilling fairy tale horror game “Bramble: The Mountain King”, the immersive fantasy crafting experience “Smalland: Survive the Wilds”, and the relaxing life simulator “SunnySide”. They were also instrumental in publishing physical console versions of games such as “Darkest Dungeon” and “Dead Cells”.

Indie Publisher Merge Games Officially Closes Down

Merge Games is Shutting Down

Management duties for Merge Games’ forthcoming projects are now under the supervision of Maximum Entertainment. Previously, Merge Games was preparing to launch Kappa Bits’ “Pixelshire” and Infuse Studio’s “Spirit of the North 2”. The latter was unveiled during the October 2023 Xbox Partner Preview, alongside other titles such as “Alan Wake 2”, “Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth”, and Konami’s upcoming remake of “Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater”.

Maximum Entertainment has been responsible for the physical distribution of popular games such as “Among Us” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach”. Their 2024 lineup includes “Paleo Pines”, “Squirrel with a Gun”, and “Until Then”. Seelye announced in February that Maximum Entertainment’s plan included 100 games, with 15 of these being based on their own intellectual properties. Additionally, she unveiled a collaboration with Paramount Game Studios to create a multiplayer fighting game based on “Avatar: The Last Airbender”. In 2023, Maximum Entertainment started merging its development and publishing divisions under one roof.

Approximately four weeks prior to Merge Games‘s closure announcement, Maximum Entertainment disclosed in a report that Seelye had requested around $7 million as repayment for the company’s previous purchases. Additionally, Maximum Entertainment COO Thierry Bonnefoi sought payment of approximately $1 million.

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2024-09-26 21:23