Jagex suspends sci-fi MMO to focus on other projects

Major UK developer Jagex announced Friday that it has halted development on its sci-fi MMO Stellar Dawn, and has refocused its efforts on the upcoming Transformers Universe and the long-running Runescape IP. Jagex originally revealed the free to play title in 2010, noting that it would be the company's "biggest release to date." Today, however, the company said that its other projects have since become more important. "This year is set to be our biggest year to date and it's vital that we ensure that we’re in the best possible position to deliver on our ambitious plans," Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard told Develop. "This is not a decision we have taken lightly; the Stellar Dawn team has achieved a great deal developing the game and should rightly be proud of their achievements so far," he added. Alongside the development shift, Jagex confirmed that 12 employees have been let go, while the rest of the Stellar Dawn team has been relocated to other projects. Last year, Jagex revealed that it had partnered with toymaker Hasbro to create Transformers Universe, a new online game based on the popular multimedia brand. The title is scheduled to debut later this year in North America, Latin America, Europe, New Zealand and Australia.