The closure of the Swedish studio leaves 60 employees without work and marks another blow for the gaming industry
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The Outsiders studio, known for developing the successful video game Metal: Hellsinger, will close its doors after a decade of activity. The news was confirmed by its founder and creative director, David Goldfarb, following an internal restructuring at Funcom, the studio's parent company.
The closure affects about 60 employees and adds to a series of layoffs and mergers within the video game sector during 2025, a particularly complex year for independent developers and mid-sized studios.
A history marked by innovation and challenges
Founded in Stockholm in 2015, The Outsiders set out to create original and collaborative titles. After the cancellation of its first project, Darkborn, the team reinvented itself with Metal: Hellsinger, a first-person rhythm shooter that combined intense action with metal music.
The game, released in 2022, was acclaimed for its originality and received multiple awards for its design and soundtrack. Thanks to its success, the studio was fully incorporated by Funcom, where it also collaborated on projects such as Conan Exiles and Dune: Awakening, strengthening the publisher's catalog.
Funcom cierra The Outsiders, el estudio creador de Metal: Hellsinger
Causes of the closure and Funcom's strategy
According to statements from Goldfarb, all Funcom employees in Stockholm—including The Outsiders team—were affected by mass layoffs. Although Funcom hasn't published an official statement, the decisions appear to be linked to a reallocation of resources toward the "game as a service" model, focused on Dune: Awakening.
The closure reflects an increasingly visible pattern in the industry: studios with successful titles or innovative projects are unable to remain active in the face of strategic and financial changes by major publishers.
It is still unknown whether the end of The Outsiders is directly related to the results of Dune: Awakening or to a general adjustment due to the global decline in sales in the sector.
Impact on employees and the gaming community
The 60 laid-off workers now face an uncertain outlook. Goldfarb used his social media to request support and job contacts for the team, highlighting the talent and experience accumulated during years of development.
The closure not only represents a loss of jobs, but also the end of possible sequels or new creative projects within the Metal: Hellsinger universe. For many players, this symbolizes how the consolidation of major publishers can limit innovation, leaving aside original proposals that managed to stand out on their own merit.
Funcom cierra The Outsiders, el estudio creador de Metal: Hellsinger
In a context where closures of studios such as The Initiative, Cliffhanger Games, and Avalanche Software have already occurred, the case of The Outsiders reinforces the sense of structural fragility in the industry, even for teams with proven success.
A closure that leaves a mark on gaming
With its dissolution, The Outsiders leaves a brief but significant legacy: showing that creativity and experimentation can still make an impact in the AAA market. Metal: Hellsinger will continue to be remembered as an example of how music, action, and aesthetics can be combined in a unique experience, even when business circumstances do not align.
