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Meta has reportedly closed down Ready at Dawn, the game development studio known for titles like “Lone Echo” and “The Order: 1886.”
The closure follows a series of significant job cuts last year and comes as part of Meta’s broader effort to restructure its VR-focused Reality Labs division.
Founded in 2003 by former members of Naughty Dog and Blizzard, Ready at Dawn initially gained recognition for adapting Sony’s “Daxter” and “God of War” franchises for the PlayStation Portable.
The studio ventured into original content in 2015 with “The Order: 1886” for PS4, which received mixed reviews. Shifting the focus to virtual reality, Ready at Dawn achieved critical acclaim with the 2017 sci-fi adventure “Lone Echo,” followed by its multiplayer spin-off “Echo VR” and the 2021 sequel “Lone Echo II.”
Meta, then known as Facebook, acquired Ready at Dawn in 2020 to bolster its Oculus VR lineup.
However, the recent financial struggles of Meta’s Reality Labs, which reported a second-quarter loss of $4.5 billion, prompted a re-evaluation of its budget and operations.
According to Android Central, the decision to shut down Ready at Dawn is intended to align with these new budgetary constraints and to enhance the long-term impact of Oculus Studios in VR development.
Despite the shutdown, Meta has reportedly expressed its commitment to retaining as many Ready at Dawn employees as possible by encouraging them to apply for other roles within the company. This move is part of Meta’s strategy to continue its investment in VR development without further reducing the number of first-party games for its Quest headsets.
Former Ready at Dawn employees and industry veterans have reacted to the news on social media, sharing their memories and expressing gratitude for the opportunities the studio provided.
The closure comes days after GameStop shut down gaming magazine Game Informer after 33 years of publication.
