GRIN Gamestudio, the developers of the 2.5D platformer Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries, has disbanded its team and filed for bankruptcy, according to an announcement made on its Steam Community page on August 10 by studio founder Wim Wouters.
This announcement comes after months with no updates from the company. Wouters explains in his statement:
“I guess our public silence the last few months already said a lot. It is not out of disrespect that our communication dropped to almost zero…it is out of shame. It is truly devastating to read the negative comments we received by some press and players. With Woolfe being the most passion driven thing we have ever created, it feels horrible to live with the feeling we let you down.”
Stunning graphics and a rich story in Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries weren’t enough to keep GRIN Gamestudio afloat.
Despite the game’s intense visual appeal, it received lackluster reviews, with only 61% of users rating the game positively, and a Metacritic score of only 55/100. Wouters speculated that part of this may be due to unrealistic expectations set by changing the game from 2D to 3D, giving it a more open-world feel that led to comparisons with games like Assassin’s Creed, with which, he said, the game had no hope of competing.
Combined with the unexpectedly high cost of making the game 3D, the low scores and disappointing sales meant that GRIN could not recoup their investment.
Kickstarter backers who invested the game are losing out, as well
Though most of the gifts are ready to be shipped, GRIN does not have the money to print the artbooks and DVD cases, nor the funds to cover the postage.
Fans of the game who had hoped for a Volume 2 will obviously be disappointed – for now. Still, there is the hope that another developer may purchase the Woolfe IP, which is officially for sale.
Did you play Woolfe: The Red Hood Diaries? Did it live up to your expectations, or could it have been better? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
