Key Takeaways
1. Funcom has closed its studio, The Outsiders, known for the rhythm shooter Metal: Hellsinger, affecting the entire team.
2. The closure is part of layoffs due to Funcom’s shift in focus towards live operations for Dune: Awakening, which has had early commercial success.
3. Funcom announced restructuring of its projects and studios, preparing for a major console release set for 2026.
4. David Goldfarb, the founder of The Outsiders, reflected on the studio’s journey and the success of Metal: Hellsinger despite previous challenges.
5. Funcom, owned by Tencent since 2020, has left the future of The Outsiders and its titles uncertain amid ongoing industry challenges.
Funcom has closed its studio, The Outsiders, located in Stockholm. This studio is well-known for the rhythm shooter, Metal: Hellsinger. The closure comes as part of layoffs announced earlier this month. David Goldfarb, the founder and creative director of The Outsiders, confirmed this on October 6.
Impact on the Team
The closure has affected the entire team of the 10-year-old studio, which Funcom bought in 2021 for an undisclosed amount just before the reveal of Metal: Hellsinger. Goldfarb shared the news on BlueSky, saying:
“I have not had much time to process the news, but all of us at The Outsiders and Funcom Stockholm have been affected by the layoffs at Funcom, and our 10-year-old studio will be closing.”
Shift in Priorities
Reportedly, the layoffs were due to Funcom’s change in focus with live operations for Dune: Awakening, which launched in June 2025. The game sold over one million copies within its first two weeks, making it Funcom’s fastest-selling title and the biggest release in its 32-year history. Dune: Awakening reached a peak of 189,333 concurrent players on Steam by June 15 but has since dropped to an average of around 20,000 daily players. Despite its early success, Funcom announced on October 1 that it would undergo restructuring across its projects and studios, preparing for a significant console release set for 2026.
Funcom stated, “Unfortunately, this also means having to say goodbye to cherished colleagues.” However, they did not disclose how many employees were affected by these changes.
Reflections on the Journey
In his post, Goldfarb reflected on the studio’s journey, mentioning how they rose from the ashes after the cancellation of an earlier project called Darkborn. Goldfarb expressed:
“Many of us had survived a near-death studio experience years back when Darkborn was cancelled, and because of this team’s loyalty and refusal to quit, Metal: Hellsinger was born. It will forever be a high point for me personally, and I will be forever grateful we got to make it and for the wonderful team and partnerships that made it happen.”
Metal: Hellsinger received critical acclaim for its engaging heavy metal soundtracks, featuring vocalists from bands like Arch Enemy, Lamb of God, and Trivium. The game reached one million players across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox by December 2022, and exceeded 3.3 million players across all platforms by October 2024.
Funcom has been owned by Tencent since 2020 and is also known for other intellectual properties like Conan Exiles. The company has not provided any comments regarding the studio’s future or beloved titles like Metal: Hellsinger, essentially leaving its legacy uncertain amid ongoing challenges in the gaming industry.
David Goldfarb – BlueSky
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