Is it over for Piranha Bytes?

jcd · Post by **jcd** » January 16th, 2024, 08:32

IT'S DEAD, JIM

The official website is down: https://www.piranha-bytes.com
Last seen functional in December.

No new videos since November: https://www.youtube.com/@PiranhaBytesOfficial/videos

Their new game has been removed from the German government's funding page: https://www.bmwk.de/Navigation/DE/Servi ... jekte.html

Vergil · Post by **Vergil** » January 16th, 2024, 08:41

Would be a shame if so. I bought Risen 3 on a lark a few years back and ended up really enjoying it.

1998 · Post by **1998** » January 16th, 2024, 08:59

Would be surprised if they are not closing. Elex 2 sold poorly. There is nowhere for them to go. That THQ Nordic had them release it within a few days of Elden Ring pretty much showed that they don't care or didn't have much hope for it anyways.

Mr.Wonderful · Post by **Mr.Wonderful** » January 16th, 2024, 09:02

If making games is just work, then don't make them. Good riddance. Some people can make games all alone by themselves even while having a regular job. Passion or GTFO

WaterMage · Post by **WaterMage** » January 16th, 2024, 09:26

Selling E2 so close to Elden Ring sadly killed Elex.

But their presence in the social network of the wealthiest African American indicates that they are working in omething

Vergil · Post by **Vergil** » January 16th, 2024, 09:46

Has anyone played Elex 2? I thought about playing the first but it seemed like it was on a level of jank that I didn't want to bother with.

Goth-Girl-Supremacy

Yeah it's amazing. One of the best games ever made. If you haven't played it then I don't know what you're waiting for. You should buy it or pirate it right now and get on that ASAP. In fact the more time you spend on here is more time you could be playing Elex 2.

1998 · Post by **1998** » January 16th, 2024, 13:29

Vergil wrote: ↑ January 16th, 2024, 09:46
Has anyone played Elex 2? I thought about playing the first but it seemed like it was on a level of jank that I didn't want to bother with.

If the first one is too janky for you, there is no point playing the second. I didn't even think that E2 was that much worse than the first, it was just more of the same. It feels a bit like that gave up on it early on and just did whatever they were already doing the first time around.

Vergil · Post by **Vergil** » January 16th, 2024, 13:41

Making the same game over and over again is a common criticism of PB that I've heard so that tracks.

Mondain · Post by **Mondain** » January 16th, 2024, 18:53

At this point it's a mercy killing. Elex 2 was awful.

Goblin_Hammer · Post by **Goblin_Hammer** » January 16th, 2024, 21:34

I did enjoy Elex 1 with all it's Eurojank but it was still far inferior to Gothic 1, 2 & Risen 1.

Shillitron · Post by **Shillitron** » January 16th, 2024, 22:13

Mondain wrote: ↑ January 16th, 2024, 18:53
At this point it's a mercy killing. Elex 2 was awful.

Worse than Elex 1?
Cause it looked like shit.

I sorta enjoyed Risen 1 & 2.. They were console trash for sure but they had a little soul in them.

Risen 3 was trash

Rand · Post by **Rand** » January 16th, 2024, 22:25

Shillitron wrote: ↑ January 16th, 2024, 22:13
I sorta enjoyed Risen 1 & 2.. They were console trash for sure but they had a little soul in them.

Risen 3 was trash

Risen 2 wasn't good. Not trash, but also not good.
Risen was okay, but not great. And too small.

Tweed · Post by **Tweed** » January 17th, 2024, 01:28

I tried to play ELEX 2 and disliked it right from the get go, especially with soyjax and his bug-eyed mutant child and bitch of a wife.

Also the old man.

wndrbr · Post by **wndrbr** » January 17th, 2024, 07:41

guess there will be no 'we're back' this time around.

Post by **rusty_shackleford** » January 17th, 2024, 08:29

I thought Risen 2 & 3 weren't nearly as bad as people say they are.

maidenhaver · Post by **maidenhaver** » January 17th, 2024, 08:33

This is why Sinatar killed himself.

Breathe · Post by **Breathe** » January 17th, 2024, 15:59

Vergil wrote: ↑ January 16th, 2024, 08:41
Would be a shame if so. I bought Risen 3 on a lark a few years back and ended up really enjoying it.

I still have all 3 and just picked up Elex 2. Maybe I should get to playing them.

Vaako · Post by **Vaako** » January 17th, 2024, 17:28

Vergil wrote: ↑ January 16th, 2024, 09:46
Has anyone played Elex 2? I thought about playing the first but it seemed like it was on a level of jank that I didn't want to bother with.

I tested it for free for a few hours and didnt like it really, starting area looked really boring didnt remember any npc from the first game and I found the progression system terrible that you need lots of money and xp for. But overall I am just not getting warm with the world/monsters and the music also wasnt as good as gothic1/2. They should have just gone back to do more fantasy stuff with magic and swords. Not this techno stuff and just give you a flying spell instead of a jetpack and use a new engine finally where the combat isnt so bad.

Post by **rusty_shackleford** » January 17th, 2024, 20:41

Vergil wrote: ↑ January 16th, 2024, 09:46
Has anyone played Elex 2? I thought about playing the first but it seemed like it was on a level of jank that I didn't want to bother with.

I played Elex 2 up until I hit a bug and couldn't go any further in the main questline. I played it at release and it wasn't fixed by a month later. Half or more of the map was just copy-pasted directly from Elex. Everything is all around just worse than the first game. It took them longer to make Elex 2 than it did for them to make Elex from scratch, and that's despite Elex 2 reusing a ton of assets, including most of the game world.
Can't even remember anything about the game other than disliking it

The_Mask · Post by **The_Mask** » January 17th, 2024, 21:01

I've only played Gothic 1 and 2, and then ELEX 1. I've been told I'm missing out on Risen 1, but I don't know...

Also... it's kind of sad to see a part of my childhood fade away like this.

KnightoftheWind · Post by **KnightoftheWind** » January 17th, 2024, 21:05

If anyone wants to replay the Gothic games, give this a try. https://github.com/Try/OpenGothic

jcd · Post by **jcd** » January 17th, 2024, 21:59

https://www.gamespodcast.de/2024/01/17/ ... hliessung/

bros...

Post by **rusty_shackleford** » January 17th, 2024, 22:03

jcd wrote: ↑ January 17th, 2024, 21:59
https://www.gamespodcast.de/2024/01/17/ ... hliessung/

bros...

I can't read nazi

jcd · Post by **jcd** » January 17th, 2024, 22:12

https://www.reddit.com/r/worldofgothic/ ... e_they_in/

A brief summary:

Björn Pankratz already left the studio last year due to differences with the team (The team wanted to make a new Gothic game, but Björn wasn't open to the idea because he had mentally moved on, as Elex was his new baby.)

Piranha Bytes is on the verge of closure after 25+ years (the process has probably been running since November 2023). The reason is the drastic cost-cutting course of the Embracer Group. Any game in an early stage of development where it is unclear whether it will be profitable upon release will be canceled.

THQ Nordic is not to blame. They have stood up for Piranha Bytes against the Embracer Group

There is currently a grace period from the Embracer Group, which gives the team the opportunity to pitch Elex 3 to other publishers (Gamepodcast.de doesn't think there's much of a chance due to the financial failure of Elex 2)

All staff has already been laid off (Gamepodcast.de has seen the termination letter)

Many things are still unclear (e.g. the question of whether Piranha Bytes will be allowed to keep the rights to the Elex series or if the studio can keep the German government fund of ~3M €)

Tweed · Post by **Tweed** » January 17th, 2024, 22:14

Such an ignoble end. Gothic 1 and 2 are some of my absolute favorite games. Risen 1 was excellent, Risen 2 was decent and ELEX felt almost like a comeback. Can't have nice things.

Vergil · Post by **Vergil** » January 17th, 2024, 22:33

Whatever happened to that awful looking Gothic remake anyway?

KnightoftheWind · Post by **KnightoftheWind** » January 17th, 2024, 22:35

Vergil wrote: ↑ January 17th, 2024, 22:33
Whatever happened to that awful looking Gothic remake anyway?

Still coming, and still looks like generic Unreal Engine slop.

jcd · Post by **jcd** » January 17th, 2024, 22:50

Piranha Bytes, hire this man

wndrbr · Post by **wndrbr** » January 18th, 2024, 01:32

jcd wrote: ↑ January 17th, 2024, 22:12
Björn Pankratz already left the studio last year due to differences with the team (The team wanted to make a new Gothic game, but Björn wasn't open to the idea because he had mentally moved on, as Elex was his new baby.)

Piranha Bytes is on the verge of closure after 25+ years (the process has probably been running since November 2023). The reason is the drastic cost-cutting course of the Embracer Group. Any game in an early stage of development where it is unclear whether it will be profitable upon release will be canceled.

If Embracer were willing to keep financing the studio as long as it had a surefire hit in the oven, then starting the development of the actual Gothic 4 would've been a good choice. Bjorn killed the studio.