OtherSide Entertainment has announced that its stealth game, Thick as Thieves, will not receive any further content updates. The studio confirmed that a significantly smaller team remains, making ongoing development of new content, modes, and systems unviable. Game director Jeff Hickman stated, "To be frank, this is not the outcome that any of us want, but we're facing the reality that ongoing development of extra content, modes and systems is not a viable path."
Thick as Thieves launched in May of this year with a limited offering of two maps and a campaign that shifted objectives between them. Initial launch frustrations were compounded by issues such as the specifics of its time-limit system and the lack of rebindable keys. While a subsequent update did introduce rebindable keys, it was insufficient to revitalize the game's fortunes.
The studio has also faced significant challenges, including the cancellation of another project and two rounds of layoffs, resulting in fewer than ten employees remaining. Hickman described the situation as "heartbreaking," emphasizing the grim reality of the current team size.
Despite the cessation of new content, OtherSide and publisher Megabit are working to ensure Thick as Thieves remains playable. This effort involves creating a new version of the game that will utilize peer-to-peer servers for co-op play. This change aims to allow continued multiplayer experiences without reliance on dedicated cloud servers. Solo play will remain unaffected by this transition. Once this technical work is completed, Megabit will assume responsibility for the game's ongoing support, addressing bugs and other issues.
Initial analysis of the game's performance suggests that its $5 launch price point may have contributed to perceptions of a "thin" or "half-baked" release, potentially hindering its reception. The game's initial billing as a PvPvE title also appears to have been a point of contention for its small audience.