NCSoft has announced a reorganisation of its projects and staff, resulting in layoffs and the end of several games – including the promising and ultra-realistic-looking thriller Project M.
Earlier this week, the Korean developer and publisher announced the shift to focusing on four “wholly-owned” subsidiaries. Three of these will act as independent game studios – known as Studios X, Y, and Z – will be “established to enhance global competitiveness”, with a focus on Throne and Liberty, LLL and Tactan.
The fourth subsidiary, known as NC AI, will set its focus on “AI technology development and business expansion”, it added.
NCSoft said this “strategic realignment” within the company will result in some “internal reorganisation”. This would include ceasing development on certain projects, as well as the “reassignment of internal members and the implementation of a voluntary retirement program”.
South Korean news agency Yonhap (thanks, IGN) said NCSoft co-CEOs Taek-Jin Kim and Byung-Moo Park blamed layoffs at the company on its financial troubles, with the execs apologising to affected staff.
“As a result of operating in a way that most of the manpower and functions are concentrated at the headquarters, financial performance has continued to deteriorate and we are at risk of becoming a chronically loss-making company,” the CEOs said, adding the situation “is seriously damaging the creativity and challenging spirit that NCSoft originally possessed”.
As for NCSoft’s cancelled projects, Game Meca quotes an NCSoft spokesperson as confirming Project M’s cancellation, as well as Minibus and Toguri Adventure. Work on its currently-in-service multiplayer game Battle Crush will also come to a close.
NCSoft’s four new subsidiaries will be officially established on 1st February next year.
We first got a look at Project M in 2022, with NCSoft revealing a trailer filled with quicktime events reminiscent of Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human. Its ultra-realistic graphics immediately caught the attention of many.
However, since then, word on the project has been limited save for an additional trailer released last November. At this time, NCSoft also shared a trailer for LLL, which remains in development.