Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn has been making a few headlines recently, but not the kind its developers hoped for. According to a user on Resetera, the game’s underwhelming performance has put the devs in a tough spot.
Employees are reportedly bracing for massive layoffs, a sad turn of events for a title that had potential but fell short in execution. The game unfortunately has bombed financially.
A Disappointing Launch for Flintlock: Siege of Dawn
The launch of Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn was far from smooth sailing. Sales figures on Steam were dismal, with a peak concurrent user count of only 650. For a decently sized AA title at $40, these numbers are rather disappointing.
>Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn company A44 Games is expecting massive layoffs
— Pirat_Nation 🔴 (@Pirat_Nation) July 30, 2024
>According to someone on Resetera on July 21, employees are expecting layoffs since the game apparently bombed:
“I have a friend of a friend who resigned from the company. He is expecting massive… pic.twitter.com/GX4tFrli9Q
It’s one of the worst performers for its publisher, Kepler Interactive. Despite the game being available on Xbox Game Pass and consoles, it seems A44, the studio behind the game, might be facing significant trouble.
Xbox Game Pass did provide a temporary boost, with the devs announcing on X that the game had reached 500,000 players. However, this number is somewhat misleading. The majority of these players likely came from Game Pass on PC and Xbox, not from individual sales.
This has contributed to the game being considered a financial flop. On Steam, at the time of writing this article, player count has dwindled to a peak of only 100 players. This steep decline suggests that player retention was a significant issue, further impacting the game’s revenue.
While the future for A44 studio and the game looks uncertain, there’s always hope that lessons learned from this experience can lead to better outcomes in future projects.
The Game Received Mixed Reviews
Critically, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn received mixed to somewhat positive reviews. Many critics and fans found it lacking in several areas. While the game had an intriguing premise and ambitious scope being a Souslike, and with God of War inspirations thrown in, it struggled to deliver a polished and engaging experience.
Reviewers pointed out that the game’s combat system felt clunky and unresponsive. The visuals, though stylistically unique, didn’t quite meet the expectations set by current industry standards. On top of this, the storyline, which had the potential to be a strong point, was often criticized for its pacing and lack of depth.
Fans had these same sentiments, with many expressing their disappointment on various forums and social media platforms. Some appreciated the game’s art direction and world-building, but these positives were overshadowed by the numerous technical issues and gameplay shortcomings.
The mixed reception indicates that while there was some enjoyment to be found, it wasn’t enough to sustain a strong player base or generate positive word-of-mouth.
The potential layoffs at A44 are an important reminder of the high stakes involved in game development in the current industry. The game’s struggles underscore the importance of meeting player expectations and the harsh realities of the gaming market, where one financial failure of the game can immediately lead to mass layoffs or even studio closures.
What did you think of the game? Let us know in the comments.
