Many studios were closed in 2024. Numerous developers lost their jobs. This also happened to Intercept Games, the makers of Kerbal Space Program 2. But despite a studio no longer working, Take Two is still selling the game in Early Access on Steam, with features that no one is working on.
What happened? As MeinMMO reported at the beginning of May, Take Two closed two studios of Private Division, their publishing label for indie games. Roll7, the studio behind OlliOlli and Rollerdrome, and Intercept Games, the makers of Kerbal Space Program, who were actually working on part 2, which was released in Early Access on Steam.
As the game’s director, Quinn Duffy, also confirmed on LinkedIn, the studio will close on June 28, 2024. Despite this closure, a Reddit user noticed that Kerbal Space Program 2 is still being sold in Early Access and is advertising future content.
Take Two is also behind Rockstar Games, who are currently working on GTA 6:
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Currently no one can develop further
How is Kerbal Space Program 2 advertised? As user Niklasgunner1 notes in a reddit thread, the game is still being sold on Steam for a full price of €50. It is still in Early Access and future content is still being advertised.
In addition to new star systems, this also includes features such as multiplayer. The problem is that currently, as of June 28, 2024, there is no developer responsible for the game. In other words, according to the status quo, the content cannot be worked on.
According to the user, this also violates Steam’s rules, which state in an Early Access FAQ that if an Early Access game cannot be completed, it must be released normally. If the game is unplayable, it must be removed.
Another user notes that the game has now also been released in the Humble Store. Although the game does not advertise any concrete future plans, it does advertise major updates.
Even if there was a new development studio for the game, many reddit users doubt that they would be able to fix the broken game. ToothlessFTW simply writes: There is no way that a second development team can come and fix the problem.
What about the game? Kerbal Space Program 2 had to deal with technical problems right from the release. Buyers were dissatisfied with the game. The title currently has a balanced rating in user reviews on Steam, and in recent reviews it has even been rated extremely negative.
The most common criticism is that the game is simply unfinished and that the closure of the developer means that hopes for improvement are futile. Another criticism is the high price for a title in Early Access. A German studio is also apparently on the verge of collapse: Gamers discuss the end of a legendary studio: “It could have been the German Witcher”