In struggling to set itself apart from the survival game pack, Inflexion Game’s gamble on Nightingale has led to the company’s UK studio closing and employees facing layoffs.
Nightingale is the first title from ex-Bioware general manager Aaryn Flynn’s Inflexion Games, which has offices in Canada and the UK.
But while the storied studio that Flynn once called home may finally see its difficulties at an end thanks to Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s big comeback, Inflexion has struggled to make a name for itself following poor sales of Nightingale.
Following a swathe of gaming industry layoffs in 2024, Inflexion Games is the latest studio to lose staff to restructuring, with the studio’s UK office being shut down outright.
In a Twitter post from Inflexion’s account, Flynn explained the decision to Nightingale’s fledgling community and the gaming world at large, citing several challenging weeks at the studio and being hit by “the stark realities of the industry”.
The substantial Realms Rebuilt update in September 2024 brought new and overhauled features to Nightingale including an overhauled opening, campaign story elements, and weapon and magic upgrades.
So far though, none of Nightingale’s early access updates have generated enough interest to draw in the number of players needed to keep Inflexion Games afloat in its current state.
At the very least, Nightingale’s intriguing world and creature designs make a case for its continued development. With work on the game’s early access set to continue, it remains to be seen if the restructured Inflexion Games can turn Nightingale’s fortunes around.