Polyarc, the studio celebrated for its VR adventure game series Moss, has announced it is ceasing active development. The news comes approximately two months after the release of Moss: The Forgotten Relic, a compilation of the original two Moss games that removed their VR exclusivity. The studio confirmed its closure in a message shared on its LinkedIn page this week.
"Today is the end of an era for Polyarc," the statement reads. "After nearly 12 years riding the joyous rollercoaster of emotions that is making video games, our time together has come to an end. As we wind down active development, we are saying our farewells to each other. Working together over all of these years has been an honor. Bringing surprise and delight to those who played our games has been a privilege. Thank you to everyone at Polyarc, our work is now finished."
Founded in 2015, Polyarc first gained recognition with the release of Moss in 2018. The game, starring a small mouse named Quill on a quest to save her uncle, was praised for its innovative VR gameplay. Its sequel, Moss: Book 2, followed in 2022, also receiving critical acclaim. Last year, Polyarc ventured into a competitive VR strategy game set in the Moss universe with Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss, though it appears to have had limited commercial success based on its review reception.
The financial reasons behind Polyarc's closure remain undisclosed. However, the recent release of Moss: The Forgotten Relic and the general challenges within the VR market suggest potential contributing factors. Despite the studio's end, Polyarc managed to maintain operations for over a decade, a significant achievement in the competitive video game industry. The studio also provided a spreadsheet with contact information for its team members, offering a resource for other studios looking to hire talent.