Game Developer can confirm that Chinese publisher, developer, and studio investor NetEase has shut down T-Minus Zero Entertainment, the game studio founded by BioWare alumni Rich Vogel in 2023.
Vogel initiallyposted on the company's LinkedIn page about NetEase' decision to cease its partnership with T-Minus Zero. "We deeply appreciate NetEase for providing us with both ample runway and support - from helping us find potential investors to giving us the time and budget to develop our game into a fully playable hands-on demo. It has generated a lot of interest."
Days later, he told Game Developer that NetEase has shut down T-Minus Zero.
T-Minus Zero had been working on a "third-person online multiplayer action game set in a sci-fi universe," according to the company'sfounding announcement. It appears the project was well-liked by high-level NetEase employees. Former NetEase president of global investments and partnerships Simon Zhu commented on the company's post, stating that the game "delivers [the] great fantasy of fighting against 15th floor kaiju to protect the city you care about."
Meanwhile NetEase head of brand/publishing for North America & Europe Cisco Maldonado called it a "super great concept and [in my opinion] a solid market fit" in a poston Vogel's page.
Related:Analyzing the game industry's woes and AI's potential with former Nexon CEO Owen Mahoney
A spokesperson for NetEase initially told Game Developer that the company is "actively working with the studio [to] find a new publishing home." They added that the company "cannot confirm any layoffs," and that it was "working with the full studio in terms of this transition and future publishing plans."
Said spokesperson offered a follow-up comment after we queried the company about Vogel's statement that the company is shutting down T-Minus Zero. They stated that NetEase has made the "difficult decision" to discontinue funding for the company. "This decision was made with careful consideration, as we have been inspired by our partnership with the studio and their bold vision," they said. "However, we have had to reassess our business priorities and are now working closely with the studio to provide support and explore next steps."
NetEase is reversing course on millions of dollars worth of studio investments
NetEase has spent 2025 unwinding a number of international investments in studios likeSkybox Labs,Ouka Studios and Jark of Sparks, also laying off US-based developers working on live service megahitMarvel Rivals.
This hasn't been a complete withdrawal.Rebel Wolves andAnchor Point made statements saying they were not affected by a business pivot reported on byBloomberg News.
Update 8/29:This story has been updated with additional comment from NetEase.
About the Authors
Senior Editor, GameDeveloper.com
Bryant Francis is a writer, journalist, and narrative designer based in Boston, MA. He currently writes for Game Developer, a leading B2B publication for the video game industry. His credits include Proxy Studios' upcoming 4X strategy game Zephon and Amplitude Studio's 2017 game Endless Space 2.
Contributing Editor, News, GameDeveloper.com
Diego Nicolás Argüello is a freelance journalist and critic from Argentina. Video games helped him to learn English, so now he covers them for places like The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, and more. He also runs Into the Spine, a site dedicated to fostering and supporting new writers, and co-hosted Turnabout Breakdown, a podcast about the Ace Attorney series. He’s most likely playing a rhythm game as you read this.
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