Polyarc Games, the developer behind Moss, is closing its doors after 12 years of operation.
The studio, based in Seattle, shared the news on LinkedIn, stating that they will be “winding down active development.”
Reflecting on their time in the industry, Polyarc expressed gratitude for the journey of creating video games, acknowledging that their chapter has now concluded.
In light of the closure, Polyarc has provided a recruiting spreadsheet to assist affected staff members.
Expressing appreciation for their team’s hard work, Polyarc bid farewell, stating that their mission of bringing joy and surprise to players has been fulfilled.
GamesIndustry.biz has contacted Polyarc for additional insights into the decision to shut down the studio.
The closure of Polyarc comes shortly after the release of Moss: The Forgotten Relic, which merged the studio’s initial two games into a non-VR format.
Earlier this year, Polyarc made the difficult decision to lay off 30 employees due to funding challenges following the cancellation of a major project.
Established in 2015 by former Bungie developers Tam Armstrong, Danny Bulla, and Chris Alderson, Polyarc gained recognition for its debut VR title Moss in 2018 and its sequel in 2022. The studio also ventured into the competitive VR strategy genre with Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss in the previous year.
In 2016, Polyarc raised $3.5 million to develop Moss and later secured an additional $9 million in 2020 to delve into augmented reality.
Discussing the studio’s future plans in a 2021 interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Polyarc’s Lincoln Davis emphasized their exploration of augmented reality to evolve and adapt to market trends, drawing parallels to their early involvement in VR development with Moss.
Davis highlighted the studio’s commitment to pioneering new technologies while maintaining the signature quality and polish that defines Polyarc’s work.