Funding Withdrawn for Romero Games Project by Publisher

Romero Games, that cool Irish development team, just hit a bit of a snag—like, tripping over a big rock kind of snag. So, I stumbled across this piece from Brenda Romero on BlueSky (ever hear of it? Kinda niche but hey, I’m there now too) where she basically says their big project’s funding disappeared faster than that one guy at parties who promises to cover next round then vanishes. Yup, poof—gone!

Romero was all geared up to unleash this first-person shooter into the world with Unreal Engine 5—sounds fancy, right? They’d been pumped since July 2022 when a “major publisher” (whispers say it’s Microsoft, but who really knows?) stepped in with an investment. Fast forward to now, and they’re saying bye-bye to that dream thanks to some top-level decision. Maybe strategic? Or someone just woke up on the wrong side of the bed? The rumors, I tell ya.

What’s next for Romero? Honestly, nobody’s saying layoffs directly, but you can read between the lines. It’s like when your grandma hints you’re not eating enough but doesn’t say anything. The worst-kept secret ever, essentially.

And Brenda, she’s got a real emotional bomb of a message. They crushed every milestone—like, genuinely checked all the boxes, received high-fives all around—only to find out they’re not moving ahead. Total heartbreaker, right? She even shouted out to their team, some of whom have been in the trenches together for over two decades. Can you imagine?

Anyway, they’re searching for a new path, trying to support the team, and looking for any help they can get to keep the dream alive. If you’re in the industry or can lend a hand, they’d be forever grateful. It’s a rough patch now, but who knows what’s next? Maybe something epic. Keep your ears to the ground—because epic stories are sometimes born from this kind of chaos.