Embracer Closes Alone in the Dark Developer Pieces Interactive

Alone in the Dark Reboot Developer Closed by Embracer
“Thanks for playing with us.”

Pieces Interactive, the developer responsible for the recent Alone in the Dark reboot, has been shut down by Embracer.

The developer’s website now displays a message saying “thanks for playing with us” along with the dates 2007-2024. It concludes with, “Our last release was the reimagining of Alone in the Dark,” according to IGN.

Embracer acquired Pieces Interactive in 2017 after the studio had worked on several Titan Quest projects. Over the past year, the Swedish conglomerate has shut down numerous developers, leading to significant layoffs.

Since its inception in 2007, Pieces Interactive has released over 10 games across PC, console, and mobile platforms. Their portfolio includes original projects as well as support for games from other developers such as Paradox, Koei Tecmo, Arrowhead, Koch Media, and more.

This studio is the latest casualty in Embracer’s sweeping restructuring efforts. In March, Embracer sold its Saber assets and also sold Borderlands developer Gearbox to Take-Two for $460 million.

The company has been reducing its workforce significantly after a major $2 billion investment fell through. As part of a broader restructuring program, Embracer has reduced its headcount by 4,532 employees over the past financial year, closed 44 studios, and canceled 80 in-development projects.

According to Embracer’s quarterly financial report in May, this restructuring program was “successfully finalized.” It’s unclear if Pieces Interactive was part of this program or if the decision to close the studio was made separately.

Alone in the Dark was released to lukewarm reviews in March, with Embracer management citing “softer-than-expected performance.”