After taking on the challenge of remaking the beloved 2015 horror game Until Dawn, UK-based developer Ballistic Moon has reportedly closed its doors for good. The studio, founded by former Supermassive Games employees, was unable to recover from the financial blow dealt by the remake’s poor commercial and critical reception.
The Until Dawn remake launched earlier this year with high expectations but quickly faced criticism from fans and reviewers alike. Many questioned the necessity of remaking a game that was less than a decade old and still holds up well visually on modern platforms.
More damaging were complaints about perceived downgrades in certain visual elements and character models compared to the original. Despite their connection to the original game through their Supermassive roots, Ballistic Moon struggled to capture what made Until Dawn special.
The 2015 release was praised for its interactive storytelling, branching narrative paths, and effective use of the butterfly effect mechanic where player choices dramatically altered the story’s outcome.
Sources familiar with the situation revealed that following the remake’s underperformance, Ballistic Moon actively sought new funding and pitched several original projects to publishers. Unfortunately, these efforts proved unsuccessful, leading to the studio’s closure and leaving its team of talented developers looking for new opportunities.
The shutdown shows the risky position of independent studios in today’s gaming landscape. With development costs continuing to rise, and consumer expectations at an all-time high, the room for mistakes on high-profile projects has never been smaller.
Industry insiders suggest the remake was initially given the green light as a training opportunity for the studio while gauging interest in a potential sequel. However, this strategic gamble didn’t pay off, with many fans suggesting a simple PC port of the original would have been a more sensible approach.
