Counterplay Games: The Untold Story Behind the Closure of the Godfall Developer

Crafted by the design team of Counterplay Games/Gearbox Publishing.

A developer from Jackalyptic Games indicates that the Godfall creator Counterplay Games has ceased operations over the recent holiday break.

PlayStation Lifestyle noted a LinkedIn announcement from an unnamed employee, who revealed that the two studios were collaborating on an unannounced project. This title was noted to be significantly enhanced by Counterplay’s efforts, with statements that emphasized “the team’s impact cannot be overstated. From day one, that group dedicated themselves as if it were their own child.”

“Sadly,” the Jackalyptic developer continued, “we could not extend our collaboration into the new year, resulting in the disbandment of CPG.” Game Developer can confirm the existence of the post, which was later modified to remove references to the studio’s closure.

Godfall was Counterplay’s last major release, initially launching as a PlayStation 5 and PC title before being adapted for additional consoles. The following year, the action-looter game received a single expansion, Fire and Darkness.

Prior to that game, they developed Duelyst, which went offline in 2020. Last March, Counterplay reportedly dismissed a substantial number of employees.

As of this writing, Godfall remains available on platforms such as Steam and the Epic Games Store. Game Developer can verify that Counterplay’s website is still active, but it currently lists no job openings or mentions any upcoming projects.

The studio’s purported closure follows last week’s shutdowns of Toadman Interactive and Freejam. The former served as a support studio for Warhammer Vermintide, while the latter was known for the Robocraft series. Jar of Sparks, an independent studio, also paused operations last week as its leadership seeks a partner to back its debut project.

Similarly, layoffs have recently impacted studios including Rocksteady, Splash Damage, and Piranha Games.

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