NetEase shut down studio of Fallout and Star Wars alumni who were making an online sci-fi action game

NetEase have shut down T-Minus Zero Entertainment, a studio founded in 2023 by former BioWare developer and Star Wars: The Old Republic executive producer Rich Vogel.

The studio had been working on an online multiplayer sci-fi action game, with contributions from a number of ex-BioWare and Bethesda staff including Fallout 76 design lead Mark Tucker and senior producer Scott Malone. However, that project and T-Minus Zero Entertainment’s on-going existence are not a good fit for “current market conditions”.

Vogel announced the end of NetEase’s partnership with T-Minus in a LinkedIn post on 26th August. Game Developer have now obtained confirmation that the studio has been closed down, in the absence of other funding.

“Every journey has its twists and turns, and ours with NetEase is coming to an end,” Vogel writes in the LinkedIn statement. “We deeply appreciate NetEase for providing us with both ample runway and support – from helping us find potential investors to giving us the time and budget to develop our game into a fully playable hands-on demo. It has generated a lot of interest. However, despite this progress, current market conditions have prevented us from securing the funding we need at this time.”

Vogel goes on to celebrate his team’s “dedication and passion” adding that “now may not be the best time to seek funding given today’s climate, but our playable demo proves our potential to develop something fresh and exciting that will resonate with players for years.”

As Game Developer report, senior NetEase staff have commented on the post to praise the bygone studio’s work, with former NetEase president of global investments and partnerships Simon Zhu commenting that the prototype “delivers [the] great fantasy of fighting against 15th floor kaiju to protect the city you care about” while NetEase head of brand/publishing for North America & Europe Cisco Maldonado called it a “super great concept and [in my opinion] a solid market fit”.

Approached for comment, a NetEase spokesperson told Game Developer that “this decision was made with careful consideration, as we have been inspired by our partnership with the studio and their bold vision. However, we have had to reassess our business priorities and are now working closely with the studio to provide support and explore next steps.”

NetEase have been cutting staff and projects recently, after investing in several studios founded by big names in the triple-A business. Last November, they called time on Worlds Untold, a studio founded by former Mass Effect writer Mac Walters. In January this year, they did likewise for Jar Of Sparks, the studio founded by former Halo Infinite head of design Jerry Hook. In February, they trimmed down the Marvel Rivals development team and made layoffs at Liquid Swords, the studio founded by Avalanche co-founder Christofer Sundberg.

Best of luck to all the former T-Minus Zero Entertainment employees now looking for a safe port.