Visions of Mana Dev Reportedly Shut Down Same Week of Game’s Release

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Visions of Mana Dev Reportedly Shut Down Same Week of Game's Release

Key Takeaways

  • NetEase and Tencent reportedly shut down Visions of Mana’s developer, Ouka Studios, after the game’s release.
  • The closure may be part of the companies’ reconsideration of investments in the Japanese gaming market.
  • The quality or financial success of Visions of Mana doesn’t seem to be a factor in NetEase and Tencent’s decision.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say I am deeply saddened by the news of Ouka Studios being shut down by NetEase and Tencent, just weeks after the release of Visions of Mana. This is not only disheartening for fans of the Mana franchise but also a stark reminder of the ever-changing landscape of the gaming industry.

It’s said that NetEase and Tencent closed down Ouka Studios, the developers of “Visions of Mana,” shortly after the game was launched. This action might be linked to a possible rethinking of their investments in the Japanese gaming market by these two Chinese companies, and it appears that Ouka Studios could be among those affected by this change in strategy.

Back in last year’s announcements, I was thrilled about the arrival of “Visions of Mana” on August 29th. Being a die-hard fan of the series, I had been longing for a mainline installment in the “Mana” franchise since “Dawn of Mana” back in 2006. Unfortunately, it appears that some less than ideal information surfaced around the same time as the game’s release.

It appears that according to recent reports by Bloomberg, Ouka Studios, the developer of the game “Visions of Mana,” is facing significant job cuts ordered by its owners, NetEase and Tencent. This move essentially signals the closure of the studio. Although the Mana franchise belongs to Square Enix, the development of “Visions of Mana” was outsourced to Ouka Studios. Despite receiving mixed reviews with a score of 77 on OpenCritic, the quality or financial success of the game does not seem to be the reason behind NetEase and Tencent’s decision. Instead, it seems that these Chinese companies are re-evaluating their investments in the Japanese market, as their previous investments have not yet proven to be entirely successful. They have invested heavily in this market recently.

Tencent and NetEase Reportedly Shut Down Visions of Mana Developer Ouka Studios

According to Bloomberg’s report, Robin Zhu, an analyst at Bernstein, suggested that Tencent and NetEase might be becoming more selective with their investments, as they appear to be shifting focus towards more profitable ventures. While the video game industry experienced significant growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, recent times have seen a slowdown in this growth. A few months back, Pocket Pair CEO Takuro Mizobe posted an image of what seemed like a clone of Tencent’s ‘Palworld’, a game that was likely created to capitalize on the success of the Pokemon-inspired game.

Regrettably, should the studio closure be confirmed for Ouka Studios, it would join the ranks of other companies affected by layoffs that have swept through the gaming industry over the past year. This year alone, approximately 11,500 jobs have been eliminated worldwide in this sector. Despite these mass layoffs predominantly occurring during the first quarter of 2024, there’s no sign of the trend abating. Notable gaming companies that initiated layoffs include Microsoft, Embracer Group, Unity, Electronic Arts (EA), Sony, Epic Games, Take-Two Interactive, Riot Games, Twitch, Sega, Ubisoft, and Amazon Games, among others.

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2024-08-30 20:23