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Nerial Is Ending Studio Development; Founders Say They’ll Return to Games After a Break

Nerial’s founders say the studio is entering “hibernation mode” and ending development. They plan to return to games after a break, but gave no timetable.

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Nerial, the studio behind Reigns and Card Shark, is ending development at the studio. In a statement reproduced by Gematsu, founders Tamara and François Alliot said Nerial was entering “hibernation mode” after 13 years and 11 published games. They also said they plan to take a break and return to game development later; no next project or timetable was announced.

Is Nerial shutting down?

The founders describe the studio as entering “hibernation mode” and say they have decided with Devolver Digital to end development at Nerial. That means the studio’s development operation is ending, although “hibernation mode” is the founders’ wording, not a stated legal or corporate status.

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Tamara and François Alliot said the decision followed 13 years and 11 published games. Those figures come from the founders’ statement reproduced by Gematsu; they are not presented as independently audited company statistics.

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What happens to Nerial’s staff?

The founders said the team would seek new opportunities and that they wholeheartedly recommended its members to potential studios. A contemporaneous Kicks & Grips report says seven colleagues are being let go. That specific count and the names below come from the report, rather than from the founders’ reproduced statement.

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Why is Nerial closing?

The founders say the decision was made together with Devolver Digital, but they do not give a specific financial, creative or other underlying cause. Without a stated reason, it would be speculation to attribute the decision to a particular business or industry circumstance.

What are the founders doing next?

The Alliots say Nerial’s end as they know it is not the end of their work in games. They plan to take a break, reflect on what has happened and return with a new perspective. Their statement also says, “We’re going back to our roots.” It does not identify a next studio, game or return date.

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What does this mean for Nerial’s games?

The founders’ retrospective refers to Reigns, Card Shark, The Crush House, and Reigns adaptations including Game of Thrones, Animal Farm, Three Kingdoms and The Witcher. They describe The Crush House as their most ambitious project.

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The announcement does not say that these games are being delisted, that existing support is ending, or who will own or maintain the catalogue in future. A separate report describes Reigns: The Witcher as available on PC and mobile, but neither report establishes future availability or support arrangements.

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