Nerial, the acclaimed studio behind the Reigns series and the meticulously crafted card-cheating game Card Shark, has announced it is ceasing operations. The closure, described by the founders as entering "hibernation mode," follows discussions with parent company Devolver Digital. The entire Nerial team is reportedly seeking new employment opportunities.
In a joint statement on social media, CEO Tamara Alliot and creative director François Alliot shared the news, stating that they have "decided together with our partners at Devolver to end development at the studio." While specific reasons for the shutdown were not detailed, the founders cited a need for change after 13 years at the helm.
"While this marks the end of Nerial as we know it, it's not the end of game dev for us," the Alliots continued. "We're going back to our roots. François' unrelenting drive to make games is as strong as ever, but first we need to take a break and reflect on everything that's happened, before coming back with a new perspective."
Tamara Alliot further elaborated on LinkedIn, expressing sadness at the decision and highlighting the contributions of the affected team members, including Oscar Harrington-Shaw (Narrative and writing), Helen O'Dell (Art Direction), Neil Goodman (Lead Programmer), Gordon Speirs (Programmer), Ben Obikoya (Senior Programmer), Neil Bull (QA Lead), and AJ Kerr (Senior Producer), urging potential employers to consider them.
François Alliot indicated on his own LinkedIn page that he would be returning to