Nightfall Productions: The Controversial Studio Founded by a Streamer Faces Closure

Image courtesy of Midnight Society

Midnight Society, the studio co-founded by Call of Duty veteran Robert Bowling and controversial streamer Dr Disrespect, is closing its operations.

The company announced the news on X and revealed that its team of 55 designers is likely to be dissolved.

“Today we’re declaring that Midnight Society will be shutting its doors after three remarkable years, with an exceptional team of over 55 developers contributing to our unique IP Deadrop,” the company stated.

“We are actively exploring opportunities to connect with other game studios that might be looking to hire our talented associates.”

Deadrop was marketed as a free-to-play extraction shooter featuring support for NFTs. The studio committed to developing the game alongside its community by releasing “snapshot” versions every three months for players to assess.

“The closest anyone has come to a Snapshot before was beta or early access. In truth, Snapshots are distinct,” the studio explained, providing more insight into that process.

“We involve our community from Day Zero of the game development process, at the very outset of creation, so we can craft a game that ultimately meets the highest standards for our community.”

Deadrop was expected to launch in 2025.

Dr Disrespect controversy came to define Midnight Society

Although it was working on a novel shooter under the leadership of former Infinity Ward creative director Robert Bowling, known for developing acclaimed titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Midnight Society gained significant attention primarily due to its ties with controversial streamer Guy Beahm, widely recognized as Dr Disrespect.

Last year, Beahm admitted to being banned from Twitch in 2020 for messaging a minor –though he repeatedly edited and eventually erased that statement (screenshots of which can still be found online) before claiming it was merely bait intended to attract journalists.

If you think that sounds like a significant stretch–you are not alone.

In his initial remarks, Beahm denied engaging in any “illegal” actions but acknowledged that he sent “messages to an individual minor back in 2017” through a now-defunct Twitch messaging system.

“Were there Twitch whisper messages with an individual minor back in 2017? The answer is yes. Were there any malicious intentions behind these messages? Absolutely not. They were casual, mutual interactions that occasionally veered toward being inappropriate, but nothing more,” he stated in the now-deleted post.

“Nothing illegal transpired, no images were shared, no crimes were committed; I never even met the person. I went through a prolonged arbitration regarding a civil case with Twitch, and that matter was resolved through a settlement. Let me clarify, this was not a criminal case against me, and no criminal charges were ever filed against me.”

Moments before his admission, Beahm was removed from Midnight Society, with the studio stating it wanted to uphold its “principles and standards.”

In the aftermath of that controversy, Game Developer senior editor Bryant Francis described the situation as a “wake-up call for developers” urging them to reconsider their associations with internet personalities who frequently incite outrage.

About the Author