Piranha Bytes has shut down, Bjorn Pankratz founds new studio

[soulburner]

As found on reddit, the weekly videos on PBs youtube channel are no longer published and their website shows only their logo. Should we be concerned?

 

[ferratilis]

It was just a matter of time. Embracer is offloading any weight, and PB isn't exactly a money maker.

 

[Zlaja]

Serves them right for butchering Nasty in Elex 2 and forcing that dirty hippie on you, instead.

 

[toro]

They deserve whatever is coming to them.

2012 Risen 2: Dark Waters
2014 Risen 3: Titan Lords
2017 ELEX
2022 ELEX II

4 consecutive pieces of shit. 12+ years of decline. 4+ years to release unfinished projects. No post-release support. They are garbage.

But they still have one more chance. They got money from the German state. Embracer has no reason to kill them. For now.

Piranha Bytes, the acclaimed developer behind iconic RPGs like Gothic and ELEX, is reportedly working on a new game set to be released in early 2026. The project, currently codenamed WIKI6, has received a substantial boost from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection through a €3.17 million subsidies.

The news was first reported by German outlet Games Wirtschaft, which revealed the government's financial support for the upcoming game.

While little is known about WIKI6 at this stage, it is expected to be another entry in the RPG genre, a field in which Piranha Bytes has demonstrated considerable expertise. Whether the game will be a brand-new franchise or a continuation of an existing series remains uncertain.

 

[Zlaja]

4 consecutive pieces of shit

No, Elex 1 was good.

 

[Hobo Elf]

Don't think there's any reason to be concerned. They had a good run all-in-all. ELEX 1 was a good place to end it, if this is the end. I'm more worried about the Gothic 1 remake that will tarnish the legacy.

 

[Hellion]

There's a rumor on reddit that Elex 3 was cancelled and Piranha Bytes will be shut down by Embracer.

 

[cvv]

They've been doing the same game for twenty years straight, it was a good run.

 

[Nikanuur]

Alas!
There, I said it.
Now please reignite. This word has always worked in RPGs?

 

[Habichtswalder]

German journo-site GameStar published an article today about PB regarding the rumors. They are usually insiders when it comes to PB (exclusive articles and stuff).
They have listed the things in the article that are also on reddit and claim there is cause for concern, but they don't want to confirm anything yet. Hard to believe they don't know more when the studio boss has regularly made exclusive videos for them. The appearance of the article sounds more like they still need to keep quiet until Embracer confirms it.

The cancelation of Elex 3 seems pretty obvious. Maybe the studio will be closed down entirely or some workers will be laid of and the rest will be assigned to other projects.

 

[Infinitron]

But they still have one more chance. They got money from the German state. Embracer has no reason to kill them. For now.

Piranha Bytes, the acclaimed developer behind iconic RPGs like Gothic and ELEX, is reportedly working on a new game set to be released in early 2026. The project, currently codenamed WIKI6, has received a substantial boost from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection through a €3.17 million subsidies.

The news was first reported by German outlet Games Wirtschaft, which revealed the government's financial support for the upcoming game.

While little is known about WIKI6 at this stage, it is expected to be another entry in the RPG genre, a field in which Piranha Bytes has demonstrated considerable expertise. Whether the game will be a brand-new franchise or a continuation of an existing series remains uncertain.

• WIKI6 was (most likely) Elex 3. The project has been removed from the german govermant funding / support page. Sum of funding was ~3 Million Euro.
  • https://www.bmwk.de/Navigation/DE/Service/Games-Projekte/games-projekte.html

 

[luj1]

4 consecutive pieces of shit

No, Elex 1 was good.

ELEX is a console game and its shit

- cutscenes
- dumb dialogue
- janky movement/controls
- console UI
- bland factions
- MMO-tier crap loot
- boring combat

 

[toro]

But they still have one more chance. They got money from the German state. Embracer has no reason to kill them. For now.

Piranha Bytes, the acclaimed developer behind iconic RPGs like Gothic and ELEX, is reportedly working on a new game set to be released in early 2026. The project, currently codenamed WIKI6, has received a substantial boost from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection through a €3.17 million subsidies.

The news was first reported by German outlet Games Wirtschaft, which revealed the government's financial support for the upcoming game.

While little is known about WIKI6 at this stage, it is expected to be another entry in the RPG genre, a field in which Piranha Bytes has demonstrated considerable expertise. Whether the game will be a brand-new franchise or a continuation of an existing series remains uncertain.

• WIKI6 was (most likely) Elex 3. The project has been removed from the german govermant funding / support page. Sum of funding was ~3 Million Euro.
  • https://www.bmwk.de/Navigation/DE/Service/Games-Projekte/games-projekte.html

It's not confirmed yet.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Gothic is a console game and its shit

- cutscenes
- dumb dialogue
- janky movement/controls
- console UI
- bland factions
- MMO-tier crap loot
- boring combat

 

[Zlaja]

They've been doing the same game for twenty years straight

Yes, and I like that game.

Embracer Group AB (formerly Nordic Games Licensing AB and THQ Nordic AB) is a Swedish video game and media holding company based in Karlstad.

Karlstad is only like 2h car drive from me, so if the unthinkable happens, I might get a gun and do something stupid.

 

[REhorror]

OH NO!!!!

They need to go back to basic.

 

[:Flash:]

But they still have one more chance. They got money from the German state. Embracer has no reason to kill them. For now.

Piranha Bytes, the acclaimed developer behind iconic RPGs like Gothic and ELEX, is reportedly working on a new game set to be released in early 2026. The project, currently codenamed WIKI6, has received a substantial boost from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection through a €3.17 million subsidies.

The news was first reported by German outlet Games Wirtschaft, which revealed the government's financial support for the upcoming game.

While little is known about WIKI6 at this stage, it is expected to be another entry in the RPG genre, a field in which Piranha Bytes has demonstrated considerable expertise. Whether the game will be a brand-new franchise or a continuation of an existing series remains uncertain.

• WIKI6 was (most likely) Elex 3. The project has been removed from the german govermant funding / support page. Sum of funding was ~3 Million Euro.
  • https://www.bmwk.de/Navigation/DE/Service/Games-Projekte/games-projekte.html

These kind of government grants are always tied to your own investment. And you only get chunks of it, depending on your show of progress and your ability to prove that you have invested the money that you promised into the project so far.

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

How did Risen1 perform sales-wise? It was a good game, but also their push into console market and I remember the port being savagely panned by the journos. Feels like it was the turning point for what came after.

 

[NaturallyCarnivorousSheep]

ELEX was ELEXCELLENT

 

[toro]

Gothic is a console game and its shit

- cutscenes
- dumb dialogue
- janky movement/controls
- console UI
- bland factions
- MMO-tier crap loot
- boring combat

 

[Konjad]

Kinda expected it when they got bought by THQ Nordic, and Gothic remake was relegated to some random Spanish studio in which nobody ever played any Gothic before.

The failure of ELEX II saleswise was the final nail in the coffin in the day when publishers purchase and cancel studios after a single failure.

 

[REhorror]

Should have done and sell Gothic 2 mods.

 

[Terenty]

No, Piranha Bytes is like a childhood friend that's always been there, it's breaking my heart to say goodbye to them

 

[Morgoth]

PB started to slowly fall apart after G2 NOTR, so nothing of value has been lost.

 

[Sweeper]

>Piranha Bytes closes down
>Larian manages to become the retard king of RPG development
>Jews are genociding Palestinians while the world watches in silence
It's not so much that this is the worst timeline, it's that we're descending into Hell.