Red Faction game from Chorus dev Fishlabs among cancelled Embracer projects
Image via Volition/THQ Nordic.
German developer Fishlabs was developing a new Red Faction game—at least until parent company Embracer canceled the project.
According to a new report from RockPaperShotgun, the Chorus studio was looking to revive the destructive open-world franchise. It was one of two projects Fishlabs was making, with the first being an original sci-fi game canceled months prior.
This new Red Faction game was apparently in the works in the same proximity as Embracer shutting down series creator Volition last year. Sources called this a “ghoulish” move to the outlet, but Fishlabs reportedly had a genuine interest in its sci-fi setting.
Staff from the scrapped original game (“Project Black”) moved over to Red Faction, then-codenamed “Project White” and dubbed a “side hustle” since its team was tasked with pitching games based on Embracer IP.
Ultimately, Fishlabs wanted to make a “safe sequel” in line with 2009’s Red Faction: Guerrilla. Despite this, it’s also claimed the team looked at incorporating immersive sim elements like open-ended play styles and pitched the game to Embracer label Plaion via fake in-world trailers and cosplay.
Fishlabs’ Red Faction project shattered the studioMorale on “Project White” was said to be fairly good, and Plaion liked the pitches presented. But a 50/50 internal vote led to the project being canceled immediately, and it’s claimed Fishlabs leadership was told to lay off “almost everyone” not working on a project actively in development.
The following weekend, 50 Fishlabs staffers were fired, with Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors attributing the move to a “lack of approval and financing.”
According to RPS, Fishlabs is now operating as a cross-development team to support other studios. Chorus, which was released in 2021, was said to be “profitable” for the studio specifically, but not what Embracer expected commercial-wise.
Further insight into Fishlabs, how Embracer runs its studios, and the “troubled” development of “Project Black” can all be read here.
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Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com
A Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him about how much gum he’s had, because the answer will be more than he’s willing to admit.
