– PlayerUnknown’s new game, *Prologue: Go Wayback*, is ending development due to funding issues.
– The studio is conducting significant layoffs as a result.
– The game will exit Early Access with one final update, then become free permanently.
– Refunds are being offered to players who already purchased the game.
– Work on the underlying Melba technology will continue with a smaller team, and future development on *Prologue* remains a possibility.
Prologue: Go Wayback Development Ends as Layoffs Hit PlayerUnknown Productions
Brendan Greene, widely known as PlayerUnknown, had spent years developing his first major title since PUBG, with ambitious plans in place for this project. Unfortunatly the game, called Prologue: Go Wayback, has reached its end and the studio seems to be dealing with significant layoffs. Through a post on Steam, PlayerUnknown Productions anounced that they will be halting further development on Prologue: Go Wayback, which first entered early access in November last year and remains in that state today, but according to new information, the studio will bring it out of early access with a final update.
Final Update and Free Access for All Players
This last update will include some new items, paths and trails for players to explore, offering a bit more content before the game concludes its active development cycle. In addition, the studio will make Prologue: Go Wayback free for everyone, and they are also looking into providing refunds for those who have allready purchased the game through Steam and the Epic Games Store, which is a generous move considering the situation.
Funding Issues and Team Downsizing
While the specifics of the layoffs remain somewhat unclear, Greene shared on X that the root cause is a funding issue, and he has reached the limit of how far he can continue to fund the game in its current form, which is a sad reality for many indie projects. Like the first tech demo called Preface, Prologue: Go Wayback was suposed to be a showcase for the Melba technology the studio has been working on since its begining, and that technical work will continue but with a much smaller team, allowing them to focus on the underlying engine.
Greene Hopes for Future Restart
That said, Greene is still open to the possibility of development restarting on Prologue: Go Wayback at some point in the future, meaning the game might not be totaly dead, as he mentioned a desire to revisit it when conditions improve, though no timeline or specific plans have been given for such a revival, so fans should not hold their breath to much.
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