MultiVersus Veterans Launch Indie Studio After Warner Bros Shutdown

According to engadget, MultiVersus production director Justin Fischer and technical director Brock Feldman have formed a new independent game studio called Airlock Games following the shutdown of their previous project. The duo’s first title, What the Stars Forgot, represents a dramatic genre shift from their previous work on the platform brawler, moving into sci-fi sim management horror territory. The team plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund development ahead of a targeted early access release in December. This move comes after Player First Games, the studio behind MultiVersus, was acquired by WB Games last summer only to see the game shuttered in May at the end of its fifth season, reflecting a broader industry trend of developers seeking more creative control after corporate consolidation. This transition from AAA to indie development reveals significant shifts in the gaming landscape.

The Post-Acquisition Exodus Pattern

What we’re witnessing with Fischer and Feldman’s departure follows a familiar but concerning pattern in the gaming industry. When larger publishers acquire successful independent studios, the creative leadership often finds themselves constrained by corporate mandates, quarterly earnings pressures, and risk-averse portfolio management. The Warner Bros. Games acquisition of Player First Games represents a classic case where initial success isn’t enough to guarantee long-term survival in a publicly-traded company’s portfolio. The timing is particularly telling – the MultiVersus shutdown in May followed by a new studio announcement just months later suggests these directors had been planning their exit strategy well before the official closure.

The Strategic Pivot to Niche Genres

The choice to develop a sci-fi sim management horror game represents more than just creative exploration – it’s a calculated business strategy. Unlike the massively competitive platform fighter genre where MultiVersus operated, the sci-fi management horror niche offers several advantages for a new studio. Market saturation is lower, development costs are more manageable, and audience expectations around production values are different. This genre combination allows Airlock Games to leverage their technical expertise from AAA development while operating at a scale where creative risks are financially viable. The horror management simulation space has seen surprising success stories like Darkest Dungeon and RimWorld, proving that thoughtful design can overcome budget limitations.

The Kickstarter Gambit in 2024

Launching with a Kickstarter campaign represents both opportunity and risk for the new studio. While crowdfunding provides essential capital without sacrificing equity or creative control, the crowdfunding landscape has evolved dramatically since its peak years. Backers have become more discerning, and successful campaigns now require substantial pre-existing community engagement and polished vertical slices. For Fischer and Feldman, their MultiVersus credentials provide credibility, but they’ll need to demonstrate that their skills translate across genres. The planned December early access timeline suggests they’re aiming for rapid development cycles, which could either capitalize on momentum or risk underwhelming execution if the timeline proves too aggressive.

Broader Industry Implications

This story reflects a larger trend of experienced AAA developers migrating to the indie space following industry consolidation and layoffs. The pattern reveals several systemic issues: corporate publishers are increasingly risk-averse, mid-tier development has largely disappeared, and talented developers are seeking environments where they can maintain creative ownership. What makes the Airlock Games story particularly noteworthy is the timing – coming off a high-profile shutdown rather than voluntary departure. This suggests that even successful games aren’t immune to corporate restructuring, and experienced developers are proactively building contingency plans. The industry may see more of these “phoenix studios” rising from the ashes of shuttered projects as developers prioritize sustainability over scale.

The Technical and Creative Transition

Moving from a live-service platform fighter to a narrative-driven management horror game represents one of the most challenging transitions in game development. While their technical expertise from MultiVersus provides a solid foundation for systems architecture and performance optimization, the creative demands are fundamentally different. Platform fighters require precise mechanics and balanced character design, while management horror relies on atmospheric storytelling, resource allocation tension, and psychological pacing. The success of What the Stars Forgot will depend heavily on whether the team can adapt their development methodologies to serve very different player expectations. Their studio website and upcoming Kickstarter campaign will need to convincingly demonstrate this genre fluency to attract backers.