Los Angeles, California – Mountaintop Studios, a game developer based in Los Angeles, California, announced that they will be taking their multiplayer shooter game, Spectre Divide, offline within the next 30 days. The decision came after the studio faced challenges in generating enough revenue to sustain the game and the company itself. Despite an initial period of optimism with a total of around 400,000 players and a peak concurrent player count of 10,000 across all platforms, Mountaintop Studios struggled to maintain active players and incoming revenue.
In a recent post, Mountaintop Studios highlighted their efforts to keep the game afloat, including seeking out a publisher, additional investment, or an acquisition. Unfortunately, these efforts proved unsuccessful, ultimately leading to the decision to shut down Spectre Divide. The studio also announced that they will be closing their doors by the end of the week.
Mountaintop CEO Nate Mitchell and game director Lee Horn had previously expressed concerns about the game’s future, with Horn describing the launch of the game’s new season as a “hail mary play.” Despite initial positive marketing leading up to the launch, server issues on the first day hampered the game’s momentum. Mitchell emphasized the need for thousands of concurrent players for the game to survive financially, a milestone that Spectre Divide failed to achieve.
The game’s new season saw a peak of just over 1,000 concurrent players on Steam, a far cry from the numbers needed to sustain the game. Mountaintop Studios experienced a decline in player numbers across all platforms, leading to their decision to take the game offline. The studio acknowledged the feedback from players and the reality of the situation, ultimately accepting the fate of Spectre Divide.
The closure of Mountaintop Studios serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by game developers in an increasingly competitive industry. The decision to shut down Spectre Divide reflects the harsh reality of managing a game that fails to meet expectations, despite initial excitement and efforts to salvage its future. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, developers like Mountaintop Studios must navigate the turbulent waters of player preferences and financial sustainability.