This week has been a rollercoaster of layoffs and studio closures. The latest to bite the dust is Studio Thunderhorse. The Roseville, California-based studio announced its closure on X yesterday, bringing an end to its over 10-year game-making journey.
“After more than a decade of developing games and being part of this incredible community, we’ve had to make the difficult decision to close Studio Thunderhorse,” read the message shared by the company.
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Studio Thunderhorse described itself as “an indie game studio and creators of 2D games inspired by the 90’s era of gaming”. The studio was co-founded by Simon Filip and Case Portman while Emily Portman was the community manager.
According to the company, the passion, creativity, and the chance to connect with their community are some of the factors that made the decision to shutdown more difficult for them. The management blamed the decision on increasing development hurdles.
“Despite our best efforts over the past months, we’ve encountered a number of challenges and development hurdles that have made it clear that stepping back is the right choice for the long-term health of the team and the studio.”
The management thanked the fans for the love, memories, and support they have given the studio over the years and said “It’s one we’ll cherish forever”.
What is Studio Thunderhorse best known for?
Studio Thunderhorse was founded in 2015 by Simon Filip and released two mobile games—Samurai Blitz and Raccoon Rascals—in the same year. Their latest release was Flynn: Son of Crimson, published by Humble Games in 2021. Filip wrote the game, while the two founders designed it. Only six additional people were part of the project besides the founders.
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Flynn: Son of Crimson is described as “a beautifully handcrafted 2D action platformer that will take you on a journey of discovery and conflict as you learn to master the art of Crimson Energy”. The game was released on all platforms including Steam, GOG, Nintendo Switch, PS, Xbox, and Humble Store.
Before its closure, Studio Thunderhorse was working on its fourth game titled Ronin Rush. With the announcement of the studio’s closure, it is evident the game will not see the light of day.
