Layoffs Confirmed, Sustainable Development Now Stable

The Chronicles of Elyria team is a bit smaller today after a now-confirmed round of layoffs hit Soulbound Studios. The layoffs were confirmed via Jeromy "Caspian" Walsh on the official site. According to his post, the "team size was never intended to be sustainable without the long-term aid of a publisher or investor". After employees were let go, however, it appears that development costs are stable going forward without a publisher or investor.

In an effort to make rapid progress on the game we know will redefine the MMORPG genre, we began pitching our game to publishers and investors throughout last year. We knew with the additional funding a publisher could provide, we would be able to get to market quicker than we had previously announced. However, as we reached the end of 2017 it became clear publishers were disinclined to take the risk on an innovative game such as Chronicles of Elyria without changing our intended vision. Some publishers wanted micro-transactions, loot crates, or other features that prioritize revenue over player experience. None of these options are in the best interest of our vision or players.

Read the full note on the Chronicles of Elyria site.

Thanks, Slapshot!