French RPG Developer Spiders to Close After 18 Years, Marking End of an Era for Cult-Favorite Games
Paris-based video game studio Spiders, known for its ambitious and uniquely quirky role-playing games (RPGs) like GreedFall and Steelrising, is set to shut down after nearly two decades in the industry. The closure follows months of financial turmoil at its parent company, Nacon, which filed for insolvency earlier this year and failed to secure a buyer for the studio. According to a report from French gaming news outlet Origami, the court procedures currently underway are largely a formality, with Spiders’ employees already preparing for the studio’s final days.
The news arrives just weeks after the launch of GreedFall 2: The Dying World, the sequel to the studio’s 2019 breakout hit. While GreedFall was praised for its rich world-building and player choice, its successor struggled to replicate that success, facing criticism for technical issues and a rocky Early Access launch. The game’s underperformance appears to have been the final blow for Spiders, which had already weathered significant layoffs in 2024 and a broader industry downturn that has seen multiple studios shutter in recent months.
“The CSE is organizing, as best it can, the buyback of equipment by employees who wish to do so, and the Spiders staff has chosen to turn tonight’s final weekly drink into a formal tribute to the studio’s eighteen years of existence,” Origami reported, citing sources within the studio. The closure marks the end of a journey that began in 2008, when Spiders was founded by developers who had previously worked on the PSP title Silverfall at Monte Cristo.
A Legacy of Bold, If Flawed, RPGs
Spiders carved out a niche in the gaming industry by embracing creativity over polish, often delivering RPGs that were as ambitious as they were uneven. The studio’s 2016 release, The Technomancer, exemplified this approach—a sci-fi RPG set on a futuristic Mars colony that was widely criticized for its janky mechanics and clunky execution. Yet, it also earned a cult following for its audacious world-building and unapologetically French sensibilities. As former Kotaku editor Luke Plunkett wrote at the time, “There’s something endearing about The Technomancer. It starts with that dumb-ass name and runs right through the story and art design to the scope of the whole project. This is the little RPG that could.”
The studio’s breakthrough came in 2019 with GreedFall, a fantasy RPG set in a colonial-inspired world that blended diplomacy, combat, and player choice. The game was a commercial and critical success, selling over a million copies and earning praise for its deep narrative and immersive setting. Its sequel, GreedFall 2: The Dying World, launched in Early Access in March 2026 but failed to recapture the magic of its predecessor. At its peak, the game attracted fewer than 1,000 concurrent players on Steam, and in the 24 hours leading up to the closure announcement, only 88 players were active, according to SteamDB.
Spiders’ other notable titles include Steelrising (2022), an action RPG set in an alternate-history Paris during the French Revolution, and Bound by Flame (2014), a dark fantasy RPG that, like many of the studio’s games, was praised for its creativity despite technical shortcomings. While Spiders never achieved the mainstream success of industry giants like CD Projekt Red or Bethesda, its games were beloved by fans for their willingness to take risks and tell stories that larger studios often avoided.
The Fallout of Nacon’s Insolvency
Spiders’ fate is inextricably tied to that of its parent company, Nacon, a French publisher that acquired the studio in 2019. Nacon, which also owns studios like Cyanide (Blood Bowl, Styx) and Bigben Interactive, filed for insolvency in March 2026 after years of financial struggles. The company had been attempting to sell off its studios, including Spiders, as part of a broader restructuring effort, but no buyers emerged. According to Origami, Nacon’s administrator is expected to request the liquidation of Spiders in the coming days.
The insolvency filing came just days after Nacon announced its Nacon Connect presentation, which was subsequently delayed to May 2026. The event was intended to showcase the publisher’s upcoming slate of games, but the timing of the insolvency filing cast a shadow over its future. Nacon’s financial troubles have been attributed to a combination of factors, including the high costs of game development, shifting market trends, and the economic pressures facing the broader gaming industry.
Spiders was not the only studio affected by Nacon’s insolvency. In 2024, the studio underwent significant layoffs, with “most of the animation and rig team” losing their jobs, according to reports at the time. The layoffs were part of a wave of industry-wide cuts that hit developers large and small, as companies grappled with rising development costs and a more competitive market.
What Happens to Spiders’ Games Now?
With Spiders’ closure, questions arise about the future of its intellectual property (IP), including GreedFall, Steelrising, and The Technomancer. While Nacon retains the rights to these franchises, the lack of a buyer for Spiders suggests that the publisher may struggle to continue developing them in-house. It’s possible that Nacon could license the IPs to another studio or sell them outright, but no such deals have been announced.
For fans of Spiders’ games, the closure is a bitter end to a studio that, despite its flaws, was celebrated for its passion and creativity. GreedFall in particular has a dedicated fanbase, and its sequel’s underperformance is a stark reminder of the challenges facing mid-sized developers in an industry increasingly dominated by blockbuster titles and live-service games.
“Spiders was one of those studios that dared to be different,” said a former employee who spoke to Origami on condition of anonymity. “We didn’t have the budgets of the big players, but we made games that felt personal, that took risks. It’s a shame to observe that spirit disappear.”
A Broader Trend in the Gaming Industry
Spiders’ closure is the latest in a string of studio shutdowns that have rocked the gaming industry in recent months. In 2025 alone, studios like Tango Gameworks (Hi-Fi Rush) and Alpha Dream (Mario & Luigi series) were shuttered, while others, like Gearbox Software, were sold off as part of larger corporate restructurings. The trend reflects the growing financial pressures on game developers, who must contend with rising development costs, shifting consumer preferences, and an increasingly crowded market.
For Spiders, the end came despite a 2024 strike that secured better pay and working conditions for its employees. The strike, which was seen as a rare victory for labor rights in the gaming industry, ultimately proved insufficient to save the studio from the broader financial challenges facing Nacon. As one developer place it, “We fought hard for better conditions, but the money just wasn’t there.”
What’s Next for Spiders’ Employees?
With the studio’s closure imminent, Spiders’ employees are already looking ahead to their next steps. According to Origami, the studio’s social and economic committee (CSE) is organizing the buyback of equipment for employees who wish to purchase it, a common practice in French studio closures. The staff has also chosen to turn their final weekly gathering into a tribute to the studio’s 18-year history, a bittersweet farewell to a team that has left an indelible mark on the RPG genre.
For many of Spiders’ developers, the closure is a reminder of the precarious nature of the gaming industry. While some may find new opportunities within Nacon’s remaining studios, others will likely seek work at other developers or even strike out on their own. The loss of Spiders’ institutional knowledge and creative talent is a blow to the industry, particularly for fans of the studio’s unique approach to game design.
Key Takeaways
- Spiders, the Paris-based developer behind GreedFall and Steelrising, is set to close after 18 years due to financial struggles at its parent company, Nacon.
- The studio’s final game, GreedFall 2: The Dying World, launched in Early Access in March 2026 but failed to attract a large audience, contributing to the studio’s closure.
- Nacon filed for insolvency in March 2026 and was unable to find a buyer for Spiders, leading to the studio’s liquidation.
- Spiders was known for its ambitious, if flawed, RPGs, which earned a cult following for their creativity and willingness to take risks.
- The closure reflects broader trends in the gaming industry, where rising development costs and market pressures have led to a wave of studio shutdowns.
- Spiders’ employees are organizing a final tribute to the studio’s legacy as they prepare for the closure.
What Happens Next?
Nacon’s administrator is expected to formally request the liquidation of Spiders in the coming days, bringing an official end to the studio’s operations. As for the future of Spiders’ games, Nacon has not announced any plans to continue developing the franchises, but the publisher may explore licensing or selling the IPs to other studios. Fans of GreedFall and Steelrising will have to wait for further updates from Nacon or potential buyers.
For now, the gaming community is left to reflect on the legacy of a studio that, despite its struggles, remained true to its creative vision. As one fan wrote on social media, “Spiders’ games were never perfect, but they were always interesting. That’s more than you can say for a lot of studios these days.”
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