NetEase is closing Fantastic Pixel Castle, just two years after the studio first opened. Fantastic Pixel Castle will shut down on the 17th of November, 2025, with it looking like the entirety of the staff will be laid off.
As per studio head Greg Street on LinkedIn (via Insider Gaming), while there is still a chance funding can be secured for the studio's game and they'd love to make it, the priority right now is ensuring as many people as possible from the studio land on their feet.
"To the literally dozens of people who reached out trying to help us raise capital, or through introductions to people who could, you humble me. There is still a chance one of them works out, and it really only takes one," Street wrote. "To our supporters at NetEase, thanks for taking a chance on us. For our team, I appreciate you coming with me on this journey, and let us hope we can continue to work together."
This comes weeks after NetEase pulled its funding from Fantastic Pixel Castle. While it is noted that NetEase was supportive in trying to find the studio a different publisher, it seems that the shutter doors are too close to closing for it to make a comeback.