POSSIBILITY SPACE CLOSURE BLAMED ON LEAKS

The games industry has been rocked by the sudden shutdown of Possibility Space, a development studio known for its work on the unannounced Project Vonnegut. The closure was announced earlier today, leading to the layoff of all staff members. Prominent employees, such as Senior Game Designer Brendan McLeod and Lead Systems Engineer Kyle Kukshtel, confirmed their departures on social media. The reason behind the shutdown, as stated by the studio's owner Jeff Strain, involves information leaks by employees, which hindered the studio’s ability to secure necessary resources from the game's publisher. Subsequently, the project was cancelled.

Jeff Strain, who has played significant roles at ArenaNet and Undead Labs, attributed the leak to the decision to close the studio. He also expressed his intention to step away from the game industry following this event. This follows the earlier shutdown of Crop Circle Games, another studio under the same parent company Prytania Media. The fate of the other two studios Dawon Entertainment and Fang & Claw remains uncertain. Fans of Strain's previous work, especially the Guild Wars series and State of Decay, may find this news particularly concerning given his track record in the industry.

The closure of Possibility Space signifies a loss of potential new and innovative gaming experiences, as the upcoming Project Vonnegut will no longer see the light of day. It also brings issues of industry secrecy and the chilling effect of leaks into focus, as these factors can have dire consequences for game development studios. Additionally, the incident raises concerns about job security in the industry and the future of gaming as veteran talents like Jeff Strain announce departures. Finally, fans of Strain's previous games may worry about what this means for the quality and innovation in future titles given his influence in the industry.

Background Information: Possibility Space was a relatively new studio established by Jeff Strain after his departure from Microsoft-owned Undead Labs. Strain is well-respected in the gaming community for his role in co-founding ArenaNet and developing the Guild Wars franchise, as well as founding Undead Labs, which created the popular State of Decay series. This history makes the closure of Possibility Space and Strain stepping away from the industry particularly noteworthy events, potentially impacting both the present and future landscape of game development.