Romero Games Denies Closure Amid Canceled Project, Says Studio Exploring New Publisher Deals

Romero Games

Romero Games has officially denied reports that it has shut down, clarifying that while its upcoming game was canceled due to a publisher pulling funding, the studio itself remains operational.

The statement comes in response to a report from The Journal, where an anonymous source claimed “everyone is out of a job” following the cancellation of the studio’s unannounced first-person shooter. That game was previously in development under a publishing agreement widely believed to have been with Microsoft, though Romero Games has not confirmed the identity due to confidentiality agreements.

“The funding for our project was pulled, and our game was canceled,” Romero Games stated in a post via X. “Due to confidentiality agreements, we cannot disclose the publisher's identity, though some may infer it from public information.”

While the situation has indeed prompted a reevaluation of the studio’s staffing, Romero Games was quick to push back against the narrative that it has shuttered entirely. “Romero Games is not closed, and we are doing everything in our power to ensure that it does not come to that,” the statement continued. “Any suggestion otherwise is factually incorrect.”

The studio also revealed that conversations are already underway with multiple publishers interested in picking up the project. “We’ve already been contacted by several publishers about helping us bring the game across the finish line,” they said, adding that they’re now evaluating those opportunities carefully. Discussions on how to move forward with the current team reportedly took place at the studio just recently.

Romero Games, founded in 2015 by legendary game developer John Romero (co-creator of DOOM) and Brenda Romero, has previously released titles like SIGIL and SIGIL 2. The now-canceled FPS was shaping up to be one of their most ambitious projects to date before the sudden funding withdrawal.

The confusion around the studio’s status comes in the broader context of sweeping layoffs at Microsoft, which recently affected around 9,000 employees across Xbox and ZeniMax divisions. As per multiple reports, several high-profile projects have also been canceled, including Perfect Dark, Everwild, and a ZeniMax MMO codenamed Blackbird.

Romero Games’ update provides a bit of clarity in an otherwise chaotic period for the gaming industry. While the loss of funding is a major blow, the team appears committed to staying afloat and continuing development if a new publishing partner can be secured.