Nerial studio enters hibernation after 13
Nerial, developer of Reigns and Card Shark, is shutting down and releasing its staff as founders step back. The move follows discussions with parent company Devolver Digital.
Nerial is entering hibernation and ending new development after 13 years. The studio behind Reigns and Card Shark will release its existing staff, following a joint decision with parent company Devolver Digital.
CEO Tamara Alliot and creative director François Alliot announced the move in a social media post. They stated, "we have decided together with our partners at Devolver to end development at the studio." The announcement marks the end of a significant indie developer known for innovative narrative games.
Founders explain decision
Tamara and François Alliot said they need a change after 13 years at the helm. They plan to return to their indie roots and will take a break to reflect before pursuing future projects.
François Alliot posted on LinkedIn that he is going back to being pure indie. Both founders signaled their intent to stay in the games industry. New plans from the pair will be announced at some future time.
Team impacted and legacy highlighted
Tamara Alliot wrote on LinkedIn that they are stopping with great sadness despite having the best team. She named eight staff members affected by the closure.
The impacted team includes Oscar Harrington-Shaw (Narrative and writing), Helen O'Dell (Art Direction), Neil Goodman (Lead Programmer), Gordon Speirs (Programmer), Ben Obikoya (Senior Programmer), Neil Bull (QA Lead), and AJ Kerr (Senior Producer).
Nerial's legacy is defined by its acclaimed titles. The Reigns series is a bloody royal comedy and an elegant, lightweight strategy game played by swiping right or left. It has been a hit among players. Card Shark is a beautiful, mannered period puzzler devoted to the obscurities of cheating at cards. The studio also released the narrative thriller The Crush House on PC in 2024, described as a suffocating study in how people can be reduced to Content by gamified surveillance systems.
Context within Devolver Digital
Nerial's hibernation comes amid broader strategic shifts at Devolver Digital. The parent company published 11 games with Nerial after acquiring the studio in 2021 for an undisclosed fee.
In August, Devolver Digital's bosses told shareholders they would like to cease trading on the London Stock Exchange. The company cited an industry-wide period of significant disruption and volatility. It said it had to swallow several impairments of underperforming titles amid an increasingly competitive and unpredictable market environment.
The founders intend to keep making games after reflecting on everything that’s happened.
