In a disappointing but increasingly familiar story, Galvanic Games – the independent studio behind the well-received supernatural shooter Wizard With a Gun – has announced it is closing its doors permanently.
The news came via a somber post on X (formerly Twitter) from company president and founder Patrick Morgan:
“With a heavy heart I announce the closure of Galvanic Games. I may never get over the irony of spending a decade building my ideal team, only for it to end after our most productive year.”
Morgan cited disappointing sales of Wizard With a Gun as the primary culprit, despite the game getting off to a “promising” start upon its release last year. Evidently, that early momentum wasn’t enough to sustain the long-term viability of the studio.
“The dedication, creativity, and hard work of every person on our team have been nothing short of extraordinary,” Morgan wrote. “Thank you for the support and memories. We are grateful for the journey and hope that our paths will cross again in the future.”
Galvanic’s shutdown arrives amid a brutal period of economic turmoil for the gaming industry at large. Just last week, blockbuster developer Avalanche Studios Group announced significant layoffs affecting 50 employees and the closure of its New York and Montreal offices.
A bit of unfortunate news. pic.twitter.com/nYyDpnGJrA
— Galvanic Games (@galvanicgames) June 14, 2024
But it’s not just the big players feeling the crunch – a steady stream of celebrated indie outfits like Galvanic have folded over the past year due to challenges like underwhelming sales, lack of funding, and inability to scale up. Some major publishers like Microsoft have even shuttered entire subsidiary studios like Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin.
For fans of Wizard With a Gun, Galvanic’s demise marks the premature end of a very promising franchise and development team. The game, which blended electrifying first-person shooter action with an irreverent, magic-infused setting, earned praise for its inventive gameplay and distinctive style.
Alas, stellar reviews and a solid launch couldn’t sustain the considerable financial realities of operating a modern game studio in an increasingly volatile market. As Morgan alluded to, sometimes not even “a decade building my ideal team” can protect against the economic headwinds.
While Galvanic bids a bittersweet farewell, their closing underscores both the creativity and fragility inherent to gaming’s independent scene. For every indie blockbuster, many more phenomenal projects succumb to the painful realities of the business. Wizard With a Gun may live on as a cult classic, but the wizards who conjured it have regrettably exhausted their magic.
