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Paladin Studios laying off 45 workers and shutting down

The Dutch co-development studio worked on titles including Cut The Rope Remastered, My Tamagotchi Forever, and Amazing Katamari Damacy.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

May 2, 2024

1 Min Read
Key artwork for Amazing Katamari Damacy
Image via Paladin

Dutch co-development studio Paladin Studios has closed its doors after 19 years.

The company shared the news on its website and explained it failed to launch enough work to cover its burn-rate over the past few months.

Paladin was established in 2005 and worked on a litany of console, PC, and mobile projects including Cut The Rope Remastered, My Tamagotchi Forever, Amazing Katamari Damacy, and Galaga Wars.

The closure means the 45 people currently employed at the studio will be laid off. "For almost 19 years, we have poured our hearts and souls into creating games that make you smile. Starting as a bootstrapped mini studio in 2005, we followed the twists and turns of the game industry and slowly but steadily found our place in it," wrote the studio.

"Over these years, the studio peaked at 55 people. As of this writing we were 45 people, each and every one of them a brilliant mind and kind heart, and together they truly created magic."

The studio claimed its titles have been played by million of people, but said it has "hit an inflection point for our financial security" and that pushing ahead with the current outlook would likely have resulted in insolvency.

"We have therefore taken this step to ensure a proper winding down, where all employees are given proper severance and the studio remains debt-free," it added. "Our existing games will stay alive, and we intend to keep providing (technical) support for them in the future."

About the Author

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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