The developer of titles such as the experimental RPGElex 2, Piranha Bytes, has officially shut down as of June 2024, but this doesn’t mean that its legacy is over just yet. Several years of uncertainty came to define the final days of the German studio, which first rose to prominence following the recognitionGothicrecevied in the early 2000s, as it wasn’t able to maintain a consistent track record across releases over the years since. With the net-positive effect that bold projects likeElex 2can have on the broader industry, however, fans have cause to be excited for the future of a new developer founded in the wake of Piranha Bytes' end.
As one of the subsidiaries of the controversial holdings company Embracer Group, there was a growing risk surroundingthe status of Piranha Bytesregardless of its overall performance in terms of sales or reviews. Under corporate ownership which has been accused of mismanaging its properties, there was more pressure than ever to deliver a new game on the level of the PB’s more well-received releases. While the allegedElex 3may never be able to materialize after all, the familiar faces who now make up Pithead Studio show its potential to reach those heights once again.
The Closure of Piranha Bytes Almost Guarantees the Deaths of Its IPs
Embracer Group Was Unable to Find a Buyer
Rumors of struggles at the company led to an official tweet from Piranha Bytes confirming its financial troubles earlier this year, but this message came with an encouraging statement about surviving this rough period. With Embracer allegedly seeking a buyer to sell the studio off to no avail, it even seemed as though theunique RPG formula ofElexcould still continue using the outside funding it had apparently received. When considering the comments made by key figures at PB about alleged mismanagement by its owner, however, it’s not surprising that this relationship ended up reaching a breaking point even without a sale being made.
With the remaining funds from Embracer having dried up, Piranha Bytes had no choice but to clear out its office and finally say goodbye to any existing projects. They may not be unanimously well-received across every entry, but the challenging open-world experiences within theGothic,Risen, andElexfranchiseswill not be forgotten among dedicated fans. The same developers might never be able to return to these worlds, but this talent having moved elsewhere holds an entirely new source of promise.
Announced via their YouTube channel and a post on X/Twitter, Jenny and Bjorn Pankratz, who served as a game designer and creative director at PB, have made their own company in the form of the independent Pithead Studio. While there’s no word on when or what projects could be coming from this new developer, it seems to be maintaining the focus on a small team of people which persistedthroughout Piranha Bytes' lifetime. This apparent new lack of corporate interference could mean bright days are ahead for whatever Pithead manages to produce, and the passion of its founders supports this notion.
Joining after the successful period of the originalGothic, Bjorn, and later Jenny, became pivotal figures in the development of the subsequentRisenandElextitles. There are valid criticisms which have been levied against games in these series, but the creative concepts and freedom of their first entries has led many players to find them deeply appealing. With Bjorn specifically having spearheaded the cross of fantasy and sci-fi whichElexis based in as its project director, there’s a solid chance that the spirit of Piranha Bytes' most recent effort will live on in thefuture pursuits of Pithead Studio.
Elex 2
WHERE TO PLAY
ELEX II is the sequel to ELEX, the vintage open-world role-playing experience from the award-winning creators of the Gothic and Risen series, Piranha Bytes. ELEX II returns to the post-apocalyptic Science Fantasy world of Magalan – with massive environments that can be explored with unrivaled freedom via jetpack, you will be able to move through the epic story any way you want.Several years after Jax defeated the Hybrid, a new threat arrives from the sky, unleashing the dangerous powers of dark Elex and endangering all life on the planet. In order to defend the peace on Magalan and the safety of his own family, Jax has to go on a mission to convince the factions to unite against the invaders and find his own son, Dex, who got separated from him …Dive into a huge, hand-crafted, completely unique world with multiple factions and diverse environments set in a post-apocalyptic science fantasy universe.
