Prologue: Go Wayback developer PlayerUnknown Productions has announced the end of development on the early access game, as well as a round of layoffs for the studio. founder Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene posted a statement online, explaining that the studio could no longer afford to continue working on the game. Greene also added that Prologue: Go Wayback will be made available for free to all future players in an upcoming update, while refunds for anyone who already purchased the early access game are also coming.
“When PlayerUnknown Productions became an independent studio in 2021, we embarked on a journey to achieve an ambitious vision for the future,” Greene wrote. “Our goal has been to develop technology that can break the boundaries of scale, which currently limit how large virtual worlds can be. To achieve this, we built a research team to develop our Melba technology and a team to develop our first practical application of our terrain generation technology: Prologue: Go Wayback. Unfortunately, I have reached the limits of how far I can continue to fund this journey in its current form. As a result, I have made the hard decision to restructure the studio.”
Greene and the remaining studio employees will continue to develop the Mebla technology, which was used to power Prologue: Go Wayback. Compared to other open-world and survival games, Go Wayback uses a dynamic weather system and machine-learning models to create a unique experience. Set in a 64km² map based on the Czech Bohemia, players are given free rein to explore as they see fit while they move toward a tower in the distance, but they have to manage their thirst, hunger, and body temperature while contending with the elements.
PlayerUnknown Productions is sadly one of several studios impacted by layoffs in the industry. Illinois-based independent developer Iron Galaxy recently announced a new round of layoffs, 124 people lost their jobs at Deus Ex developer Eidos-Montreal, and Fortnite studio Epic Games just recently cut 1,000+ jobs.