The magical first-person shooter Immortals of Aveum launched in August 2022 to little fanfare, leading to significant layoffs at developer Ascendant Studios just one month after release. According to developers who spoke anonymously with IGN, the ambitious new IP cost around $125 million to make, but failed to connect with players.
One developer estimated $85 million went towards Aveum’s development budget, with publisher EA spending $40 million more on marketing and distribution costs. For a debut project utilizing next-gen Unreal Engine 5 technology, these expenditures proved overly optimistic. The end result was a bloated, repetitive campaign that dragged on too long to maintain player interest.
However, some on the Aveum team argue the game provided exactly what many gamers claim to want – an original single-player experience free of microtransactions and open world padding.
Soaring Costs, Groundless Expectations
Despite decent reviews, sales fell drastically short of targets. One developer lamented this highlighted the volatility of the gaming market, where huge investments are required just to compete at a AAA level.
In her review, our own Alice B found enjoyable elements in Aveum but criticized its lack of impact and innovation. This points to the title’s larger identity issues. In a crowded 2022 release slate, Aveum did not clearly establish its fantasy or target audience. Its magic FPS premise failed to resonate as anything more than mediocre.
Aveum’s high costs and low returns provide a cautionary tale about the risks of developing new IPs, especially for unproven studios. While Aveum checked many boxes like good working conditions and lack of monetization, it lacked the spark and polish to stand out. Its failure shows success requires not just meeting supposed player demands, but delivering memorable experiences worth players’ limited time and money.
