Liquid Swords, the studio behind the open-world crime sim Samson, has ceased operations due to bankruptcy. Founder Christofer Sundberg confirmed the closure, stating that while the console version of Samson achieved greater success than its PC counterpart, it was insufficient to sustain the company.
Samson launched on PC to mixed reviews, with only 55% positive user ratings on Steam and a 51 aggregate score on Metacritic. Sundberg acknowledged at the time of its release that the game shipped with flaws. Despite subsequent updates, the studio ultimately succumbed to market conditions and what Sundberg described as "bad business decisions."
Sundberg expressed pride in what the team built despite the outcome. "We make mistakes, we learn, we fall, we rise up, we move on," he stated. "That's sometimes a painful process, especially when it affects people you care about, but I refuse to give up. I never give up."
Looking ahead, Sundberg plans to establish a new studio. His focus for this venture will be on building a solid foundation with sustainable business practices and a team that can create games without excessive financial risk. "A small, experienced team, low running costs and a game we can afford to finish without needing every sales forecast to come true," Sundberg explained. He aims to create a more forgiving development environment where mistakes can be corrected without jeopardizing the entire company.
AI integration is a key consideration for Sundberg's next studio, though he approaches the technology with caution. He intends to use AI for prototyping, repetitive production tasks, and testing, but emphasizes that it is not a replacement for skilled developers. "Cutting corners in game development has a habit of coming back to bite you in the ass," Sundberg warned. "You need solid game development experience to make anything that isn't slop and the proofs are already out there."
Sundberg also highlighted the importance of transparency and practical application when using AI, criticizing the trend of "AI-first" pronouncements that lack concrete production plans. He believes development teams need the expertise to discern when AI is genuinely helpful and when it introduces more problems than it solves. "I think a lot of people are still figuring out where it helps and where it creates more work," he said.
Claims that Liquid Swords employees went unpaid for at least two months have surfaced. Sundberg confirmed that these employees will receive compensation through Sweden's wage guarantee program. He noted that while he cannot make commitments, there are individuals at Liquid Swords he would "love to work with again."
Sundberg's prior experience includes co-founding Avalanche Studios, the developer behind the Just Cause series. His ambition remains to create games with "personality, freedom and enough action to cause a small diplomatic incident," but with a clear focus on financial stability to avoid a repeat of Liquid Swords' fate. "There's plenty of fight left in me, but the next studio needs to work without running on stubbornness alone," he concluded.