According to Kotaku, XBOX is reportedly planning on shutting down Compulsion Games, the creators of South of Midnight and We Happy Few. A source within the studio is claiming that its leadership is in negotiations with Microsoft over its fate.
The announcement comes just a few hours after the head of Xbox Game Studios, Craig Duncan, stepped down from his role alongside its chief of staff, Louise O’Connor. Recently, reports surfaced that XBOX is planning to lay off several employees within its game division as new CEO Asha Sharma revealed her intentions to “reset” the brand after a successful Xbox Games Showcase. While the studio’s Linkedin hinted that it was working on an “fascinating, intriguing, brand new IP,” its possible that this game may now be cancelled. Only time will tell if Compulsion Games manages to survive the purge, and if not, how many more studios will follow its fate.
UPDATE: According to Bloomberg, several Xbox Game Studios companies such as Compulsion Games and Double Fine are all in active negotiation with XBOX to spin off into their own separate studios to avoid closure. This move would be similar to what Toys for Bob did just a few years prior. However, Ninja Theory, who just recently announced a new game in the form of Senua, was reportedly informed that it would be closing down. Currently, it is hoping that a buyer will save it from closure. It is unknown what this means for Senua. Arkane Studios may also suffer the same fate.
South of Midnight is available now for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and Windows. Final Weapon reviewed the game, and gave it a 4/5. We described it as a “fantastic representation of the deep south and its folklore. It has great visuals, engaging characters, a charming story, and music that will leave your jaw on the floor. While there are certainly flaws with the repetition of the combat, the frustrating platforming, and the lack of development of certain characters, these issues pale in the face of just how well Compulsion Games managed to execute this great work of art.”
