Skybound Entertainment, creators of The Walking Dead comic book series, announced that it has terminated its contract with game developer Starbreeze Studios. The reason is over the disappointing launch of Overkill’s The Walking Dead, which launched in November 2018 for PC and has since struggled to find an audience.
“As of today, we have terminated our contract with Starbreeze Studios and will discontinue all efforts on Overkill’s The Walking Dead,” reads the announcement.
It goes on to say that the game did not meet the company’s standards, nor did it deliver the expected quality. Console versions of the game were in development, but given how Starbreeze had to institute cost-cutting measures, lost its CEO, was raided by the Swedish authorities for insider trading, and filed for administration in the months following the PC game’s launch – those versions were pretty far bets to begin with. Now that Skybound has terminated the relationship, it’s likely that console versions will never be made.
Overkill’s The Walking Dead, a cooperative shooter based on the famous comic book series brings groups of players together to survive the zombie apocalypse. It was met with a disappointing reception by both critics and fans. Consequently, it sold poorly despite being tied to a popular IP.
Skybound concludes the announcement by stating, “We are exceedingly sorry to our fans and share their disappointment in the game. We remain dedicated to providing our fans with the most premium quality content we can offer, and will continue to look for alternative video game options for the IP.”
