Christofer Sundberg, founder of the recently bankrupt Samson studio Liquid Swords, has shared his intentions to establish a new game development studio. The new venture will aim to incorporate lessons learned from the previous company's closure, with a particular focus on efficient development practices and the potential role of generative AI.
Liquid Swords filed for bankruptcy less than a year after releasing its debut title, Samson. Sundberg confirmed the studio's closure but stated his commitment to continued involvement in game development. His new studio is envisioned as being built with the current market in mind, emphasizing a solid foundation and business decisions designed to allow both the games and the development team room to succeed. "The lessons from Liquid Swords will be part of how I build it. I still love making games," Sundberg wrote in a LinkedIn post.
In a discussion with PC Gamer, Sundberg elaborated on his conceptual framework for the new studio. He described a model centered around a small, experienced team, low running costs, and a focus on completing games without an overreliance on optimistic sales forecasts. A critical element of this approach is creating an environment where "room to make a wrong turn, fix it, and keep going without putting the whole company at risk" is possible.
Generative AI is also a consideration for Sundberg's future plans, though he stressed it would be used to augment rather than replace human roles. He sees AI's utility in areas such as prototyping, handling repetitive production tasks, and aiding in testing. Sundberg cautioned against viewing AI as a cost-saving measure, noting its own expenses, and reiterated that "cutting corners in game development has a habit of coming back to bite you in the ass." He expressed optimism about AI tools but argued that a successful implementation requires developers with the expertise to discern when and how AI can effectively assist, and importantly, when to disable it. Sundberg hopes for more open industry dialogue on this subject.
Samson itself was noted for its ambitious crimebrawler concept, offering a distinct character, but was hampered by significant bugs and limitations that prevented its core ideas from reaching their full potential. The hope remains that the developers who contributed to Samson will find stable futures following the studio's closure.