After trying a “slow and steady” approach to keeping its shooter LawBreakers fresh and considering a switch to free-to-play to boost profitability, Cliff Bleszinski’s Boss Key Productions has announced that while it will “continue to support” LawBreakers, it’s decided to “focus on other projects” going forward.
The post, which appears on the company’s website, but not on the game’s Steam page (at the time of writing), admits the studio has been quiet in recent times on the LawBreakers front.
It goes on to say that, after months of consideration — including entertaining a switch to free-to-play — Boss Key has decided to cut its losses:
The fact is LawBreakers failed to find enough of an audience to generate the funds necessary to keep it sustained in the manner we had originally planned for and anticipated. And while a pivot to free-to-play may seem like easiest change to make, a change of this magnitude takes publishing planning and resources to do it.
There’s mention of giving the game a “second life” at some stage, but right now, new projects will be the priority:
The team here has worked hard on this game over the past three and a half years and our studio is determined to give this game the second life it deserves. However, between now and then, we cannot sit idle. We will continue to support the game in its current state, but we also need to focus on other projects with fresh creative leaders. We have been working on something new and we can’t wait to share more about it! It’s a passion project that we’re in complete control of.
I don’t think anyone is really shocked by the announcement. What will be interesting, once we know what it is, is Boss Key’s next project. Shooters have always been Cliff Bleszinski’s playground, but with a market dominated by battle royale games, it’s a particularly punishing genre for developers at the moment.
April 2018 studio statement [Boss Key, via AusGamers]
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