Risk of Rain Studio Closes, Founders Join Valve for Game Development
Hopoo Games, the studio behind the popular roguelike game Risk of Rain and its sequel, has announced that it is shutting down. The founders of Hopoo, Duncan Naoki Drummond and Paul Morse, have confirmed that they will be joining Valve Software to work on game development.
In 2022, Hopoo sold the intellectual property rights of Risk of Rain to Gearbox, the company known for Borderlands. Gearbox recently released the Seekers of the Storm DLC for Risk of Rain 2, which has received criticism from players on Steam.
In a statement, Hopoo expressed their gratitude to Valve for their collaborations over the past decade and stated their excitement to continue working on Valve’s titles. However, this move means that production on their unannounced game, “Snail,” has been halted.
Valve, on the other hand, has been making headlines with their new hero shooter Deadlock. Rumors are also circulating about a potential new addition to the Half-Life series. Dataminers claim to have found evidence of an active development of Half-Life 3, or something related to the Half-Life universe. The collaboration between the creators of Risk of Rain and Valve for a new Half-Life game sounds promising.
While waiting for more news on Valve’s projects, PC gamers can explore the best new PC games of the year. Additionally, they can start planning their gaming journey for the rest of 2024 and beyond with the upcoming PC games on the horizon. For daily news, reviews, and guides on PC games, readers can follow us on Google News. They can also find great deals on PC games through our PCGN deals tracker.
Facts not mentioned in the article:
1. Risk of Rain was initially released in 2013 and gained a cult following for its challenging gameplay and unique art style.
2. Risk of Rain 2, the sequel to the original game, was released in 2019 and transitioned from 2D to 3D gameplay, receiving positive reviews from both players and critics.
3. Hopoo Games was founded in 2012 by Duncan Naoki Drummond and Paul Morse, with Risk of Rain being their first major success.
4. Valve Software is a renowned game developer and publisher known for titles such as the Half-Life series, Dota 2, and the Portal series.
Important questions and answers:
1. Why did Hopoo Games decide to shut down and join Valve?
– The article does not provide specific details about the reasons behind Hopoo Games shutting down. However, the founders’ decision to join Valve for game development suggests that they saw an opportunity for growth and collaboration with a renowned studio.
2. What impact does this studio closure have on the future of Risk of Rain?
– With the studio closure, the future development of the Risk of Rain series becomes uncertain. The intellectual property rights were sold to Gearbox, so it remains to be seen how Gearbox will handle the franchise moving forward.
Key challenges or controversies:
1. The criticism received by the Seekers of the Storm DLC for Risk of Rain 2 from players on Steam suggests that there may have been challenges in meeting player expectations or delivering content that was well-received.
Advantages and disadvantages:
1. Advantages of the founders joining Valve include the opportunity to work with a highly regarded game development studio and potentially contribute to projects like the Half-Life series.
2. The disadvantage of Hopoo Games shutting down is the halt in production on their unannounced game, “Snail,” which may disappoint fans who were anticipating its release.
Suggested related links:
– Gearbox: Gearbox, the company that acquired the intellectual property rights of Risk of Rain from Hopoo Games.
– Steam: Steam, the popular gaming platform where players provided criticism for the Seekers of the Storm DLC.
– Valve Software: Valve Software’s official website for more information on their games and projects.
The source of the article is from the blog jomfruland.net