Polyarc, the studio celebrated for its work on the PlayStation VR puzzle adventure game Moss, has announced its closure after nearly 12 years. The developer shared the news in a statement on LinkedIn, confirming that active development has ceased and the team is disbanding.
"After nearly 12 years riding the joyous rollercoaster of emotions that is making video games, our time together has come to an end," the studio stated. "As we wind down active development, we are saying our farewells to each other." The statement also expressed gratitude to the Polyarc team and those who played their games, noting that "Bringing surprise and delight to those who played our games has been a privilege."
Moss was first released in 2018 for PlayStation VR, two years after the headset's debut. The game, which features a charming mouse protagonist named Quill, received widespread critical acclaim, earning numerous award nominations and demonstrating VR's potential for creating engaging gameplay experiences.
The studio followed up with Moss: Book II in 2022 for PS VR2, which further refined the combat and narrative elements of the original. This sequel went on to win Best VR Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2022.
Despite critical success and technological advancements, the virtual reality market has presented challenges for developers like Polyarc. The studio's efforts to broaden the appeal of Moss, including releasing a non-VR adaptation of both games for standard television displays earlier this year, ultimately could not overcome the limitations of VR's market reach. This decision to bring Moss to 2D displays indicated a struggle to maintain the immersive magic of the VR experience in a more conventional format.
Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida, who was instrumental in the company's VR initiative, acknowledged Polyarc's contributions, writing on X, "Goodbye Polyarc, you (and Quill) will be remembered. We had great times together."