Amplitude Studios, the developer behind the Endless series and Humankind, has gone independent once more, with Sega selling the studio back to members of its internal team.
Sega says that this “concludes the structural reforms that have been taking place in Sega’s European business”.
Amplitude Studios founder Romain de Waubert de Genlis made the announcement:
We’re thrilled to announce that our studio is officially returning to independence!
Amplitude is now owned by members of the internal team, meaning that the future of our studio and games is staying in the hands of those who know them best.
Being part of the SEGA family and working with their team for the past eight years has been an incredible journey. We’ve learned so much, have grown in ways we never could have imagined and have made great friends along the way. As our paths now head in different directions, we’re parting ways on the best of terms and we’ll continue to cheer them on as they take on new and exciting things in the future!
By returning to our indie roots we’re getting back to the heart of what drives us: creativity, innovation, and close-knit collaboration with our community. These values have shaped who we are from the beginning, and will lead the way forward in this exciting next chapter.
Thank you for being with us every step of the way! Here’s to a new beginning, and to all the amazing things we’ll create together.
Sega acquired Amplitude back in 2016, the French studio having made a name for themselves within the 4X strategy realms with Endless Space and Endless Legend, and has long been a proponent of developing in tandem with its community. At the time, Sega was looking to expand its reach into PC gaming, alongside the Total War franchise at Creative Assembly and RTS gaming at Relic.
The last year has seen great upheaval at Sega’s European arm, though, with some disappointing game launches including Total War: Pharaoh and Company of Heroes 3, the cancelled extraction shooter Hyenas, and over the last few months, the extended development that is going to be needed for Football Manager 2025.
Back in March, Sega announced 240 job cuts, hitting Creative Assembly hard as game projects were cancelled, and spinning off Relic to let them go independent. Now Amplitude is following in Relic’s footsteps.
This is the right way to handle things, compared to some notable studio closures that we’ve seen elsewhere in the industry. Obviously we’re not privy to the discussions and options being explored by other publishers, seeing studios like Firewalk simply be shut down, or Tango Gameworks be shut down and then rescued months later is much worse as teams are completely dismantled and not given another chance.
Source: Twitter
