Moss developer Polyarc Games publicizes closure

Moss developer Polyarc Games is shutting down after 12 years in operation.

The Seattle-based developer shared the information on LinkedIn, saying its choice to “wind down active development.”

“After nearly 12 years riding the joyous rollercoaster of emotions that is making video games, our time together has come to an end,” it wrote.

Polyarc additionally shared a recruiting spreadsheet for workers affected by the closure.

“Working together over all of these years has been an honour. Bringing surprise and delight to those who played our games has been a privilege. Thank you to everyone at Polyarc, our work is now finished.”

GamesBusiness.biz has reached out to Polyarc for additional context on the choice to close the studio.

Polyarc’s closure follows the launch of Moss: The Forgotten Relic two months in the past, which introduced collectively the unique two video games exterior of VR.

Earlier this yr, Polyarc laid off 30 workers after it was unable to safe funding following the cancellation of a significant challenge.

Polyarc was based in 2015 by former Bungie devs Tam Armstrong, Danny Bulla, and Chris Alderson.

The studio launched its debut VR journey puzzle sport Moss in 2018, adopted by a sequel in 2022. Last yr noticed the launch of its on-line aggressive VR technique sport, Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss.

Polyarc raised $3.5 million in 2016 to develop Moss and secured a further $9 million in 2020 to increase into augmented actuality.

Speaking to GamesBusiness.biz in 2021, Polyarc’s publishing and communications director Lincoln Davis stated AR was one thing the developer was “heavily looking into” to “evolve as a studio and adapt as a market changes.”

“When we came on with PlayStation with Moss, it was so early on in what type of content it was and it was a complete game experience… So if we can be early on with other technical advances and be that pioneer but add that Polyarc flavour or that Polyarc level of polish too, that would be great for us as a studio.”