Harebrained Schemes is independent again: Paradox parts ways with the studio less than a week after confirming major layoffs earlier this year
Less than a week after saying that sales of turn-based tactics game The Lamplighters League were "a big disappointment" and confirming major layoffs at developer Harebrained Schemes, Paradox Interactive has announced that it has «decided to part ways» with the studio. Paradox said the split was a mutual decision, «stemming from each party’s strategic and creative priorities,» and that HBS will officially be independent again on January 1, 2024.
«Paradox has refocused its strategy towards its core niches within strategy and management games with endless qualities,» Paradox COO Charlotta Nilsson said. «We and HBS’ leadership have been discussing what would happen after the release of The Lamplighters League, but a new project or sequel in the same genre was not in line with our portfolio plans. Hence, we believe that a separation would be the best way forward.»
The separation will leave Paradox with ownership of The Lamplighters League and «other games developed by the studio,» although specifics about which games were not provided. Of particular interest on that front are Harebrained's best-known games, Shadowrun and Battletech: Both videogame series are based on tabletop games created by FASA, an RPG and tabletop gaming company co-founded by Jordan Weisman, who is also the co-founder of Harebrained Schemes.
It's something of a long and complicated history but the short version is that FASA launched a videogame studio called FASA Interactive in the mid '90s, which was eventually acquired by Microsoft. FASA Interactive was closed in 2007, but Microsoft licensed the rights to make new FASA-based videogames back to Weisman through his then-new, now-closed venture Smith and Tinker.
Those rights seemingly went with Weisman
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