Xbox Game Pass Free Game Already In Trouble Despite Initial Success

Luna Abyss released almost a month ago, and for the most part it seems to have been received well by players.

With 86% positive reviews on Steam, and a release on each major platform, and a big push on Xbox Game Pass, it seems that the game would have been off to a resounding success.

"Thank you so much for your support on Luna Abyss so far!" read a post on X (formerly Twitter) from Luna Abyss developer Kwalee on 22 May. "If you have been enjoying Luna Abyss so far, please consider leaving a review on Steam! Reviews help spread the word, and it means we can reach even more players!"

Despite what appeared to be a good start for the game, an update from the studio has put the future of the game in jeopardy.

Kwalee Labs CEO and Production Director Hollie Emery posted on LinkedIn that the entire team had been laid off by its parent company.

"We're enamoured by the love and support it received both by our industry and critically by journalists and media. Whilst we faced many challenges along the way, it has been the highlight of our careers - and we are incredibly proud that it has finally seen the light of day (thank you to everyone who believed in us!)," they posted.

"Unfortunately as of yesterday, the entire team has been made redundant; a decision that was completely outside of our control. As a result, the entire team are available for work as of today."

Kwalee

Emery adds that the team "are an incredibly talented, senior bunch of developers - independent spirit mixed with an AAA-class dedication to quality," and hopes that the entire team affected by the decision are able to find new work.

Kwalee Labs Is Another Effect Of The Mass Layoffs Within The Video Games Industry

Unfortunately, layoffs in the video game industry are not uncommon, even for teams that release games that are critically and commercially successful.

Just this week, it was also reported that Xbox subsidiaries Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Double Fine Productions were facing closure, with the future of the studios put into question.

In the case of Ninja Theory, the developer had only revealed its newest game, Senua, at the Xbox Games Showcase just a week prior to the report.

The blurb on Luna Abyss reads: "You are a prisoner sentenced to explore a derelict megastructure that sprawls deep beneath the surface of the mimic moon Luna. You are tasked with recovering forgotten technology from within the Abyss and the lost colony it consumed. Every move you make will be overseen by your artificial prison guard named Aylin.

"These centuries-old ruins are alive with maddening echoes, insinuating secrets of the once prosperous city of Greymont and its terrible fate. The Scourge. The tenets of the All-Father. The choir of the Collective. The voices of the Abyss call to you; they whisper strange missives..."

Read Next: God of War Meets Uncharted In Terrific RPG At The Top Of Our Wishlist