T-Minus Zero Entertainment is a studio founded by former developers from BioWare and Bethesda. Their project aimed to create a sci-fi multiplayer world where the community is at the forefront – now their funder is pulling the plug.
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Which studio is it about? It is about the Texas-based studio T-Minus Zero Entertainment. Founded by former developers from BioWare and Bethesda, the studio dedicated itself to the mission of developing a game that brings the community together.
The funds to create such a game were reportedly received from the Chinese company NetEase. For 2 years, the collaboration went well, but now T-Minus Zero Entertainment announces its closure.
NetEase is also responsible for games like Diablo Immortal:
NetEase continues its austerity measures, now closing a second studio
What austerity measures are being referenced? The closure of T-Minus Zero Entertainment does not come out of the blue, but is the result of the austerity measures that NetEase is currently implementing.
A report from bloomberg.com reported on a new commercial strategy from the management to maintain NetEase’s success. To ensure this, jobs are being cut, studios closed, and projects canceled.
One of these projects was Worlds Untold, which was also buried in November 2024, along with its studio. The game from T-Minus Zero Entertainment, which aimed to combine sci-fi and multiplayer, is now another victim of these austerity measures. With the closure of the studio, the project will also be canceled.
What will happen to the studio? A month after the studio was founded in 2023, the gaming site gamesindustry.biz conducted an interview with co-founder Rich Vogel (who was among other things co-founder of BioWare Austin and General Manager at Bethesda).
He reported on how the collaboration with the Chinese company came about. Everything fit, and NetEase would not want to realize and support every idea that did not promise success.
His statement on linkedin.com sounds very different now. After 2 years, the wind has changed, and now the studio faces closure. Due to the currently difficult situation in the gaming industry, it is also difficult to secure new funding. And this, despite the fact that the playable demo has reportedly attracted considerable interest. Unfortunately, the closure of the studio is the only option.
For fans and hopefuls of the project, this is a heavy blow. It remains to be seen which projects and studios will be affected – the Chinese company has invested large sums in many western games over the years. More about the background of NetEase and the austerity measures can be found here: A billionaire’s austerity measures put the new PvE MMORPG for Warhammer at risk
