We've been covering the saga of The Lamplighters League here at Pure Xbox all month, which launched on Xbox Game Pass back on October 3rd, but clearly didn't achieve the kind of success its teams had hoped for.
Last week, Paradox essentially admitted defeat with the game, calling it a "big disappointment" in terms of its commercial reception - and now the publisher has mutually parted ways with developer Harebrained Schemes.
Here's what the COO of Paradox, Charlotta Nilsson, had to say in a press release:
“We and HBS’ leadership have been discussing what would happen after the release of The Lamplighters League, but a new project or sequel in the same genre was not in line with our portfolio plans. Hence, we believe that a separation would be the best way forward. We’re very happy that this talented, gifted studio has the chance to continue and can’t wait to see what they will make next.”
As a result, Harebrained Schemes says it will continue to support The Lamplighters League through the end of the year (the split doesn't occur until January 1st), and then will be seeking "funding and partnerships for an independent future". Paradox will retain ownership of TLL and "other games" developed by the studio.
It's undoubtedly a shame to see Harebrained Schemes leaving the publisher, especially considering Paradox often likes to put its games on Xbox Game Pass! Here's hoping the team can find that funding and those partnerships they're looking for, and ultimately it'd be great to see The Lamplighters League achieve more success going forward.
If you're interested, you'll find more details about the latest Lamplighters League patch in the tweet below: