Former employees of Ubisoft Barcelona have established a new independent studio, Dark Ritual Studios, following a wave of layoffs at the company. Despite Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced exceeding Ubisoft’s annual sales expectations with over 3.5 million copies sold in its first two weeks, 51 employees were laid off, including staff who contributed to the title.
Dark Ritual Studios and Puzzle Mage
The newly formed team, which includes former Ubisoft Barcelona expert level designer Myles Kerwin, is focusing on small-scale development. Kerwin noted that the studio aims to keep creative decision-making fast by maintaining a lean team and realistic scope. Dark Ritual Studios has secured funding for its first project, Puzzle Mage, which is currently slated for a 2027 release.
Quick Facts
- Genre: Top-down point-and-click dark fantasy adventure.
- Core Gameplay: Players solve environmental puzzles using elemental spell combinations (Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water).
- Content: The game features over 50 puzzle rooms with unlockable spells.
- Business Strategy: The studio is currently evaluating whether to self-publish or partner with a publisher and is not seeking additional investment at this time.
The formation of Dark Ritual Studios arrives amid broader instability in the industry. For the 2027 fiscal year, Xbox has planned a reduction of approximately 3,200 roles, with 1,600 cuts already implemented as of early July. These actions have affected studios such as Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs. The future of Arkane Lyon remains unconfirmed.