IMMORTALS OF AVEUM CREATOR SPEAKS OUT ON DEVELOPMENT AND COST CRITICISM

The development and release of Immortals of Aveum have recently come under scrutiny. The game's overall cost reached around $125 million, with developer Ascendant Studios spending approximately $85 million and Electronic Arts contributing an additional $40 million for marketing and distribution. Immortals of Aveum, released in August, faced a mixed reception and later led to the studio laying off 45% of its workforce. A former staff member at the studio criticized the project as too ambitious for a debut game, expressing that the decision to create a triple-A singleplayer shooter with a new IP and using Unreal Engine 5 was ill-advised. Despite the talented development team, they argued that the resulting game featured a repetitive and overly extended campaign. The next move for Ascendant Studios remains unknown.

Immortals of Aveum struggled both financially and critically, with a costly development leading to significant layoffs and a reception that ranged from mixed to negative. The high investment did not translate into success, highlighting the risks associated with launching a new IP in the competitive triple-A gaming market.

Background information on Ascendant Studios reveals that it was founded by Bret Robbins, a veteran in the industry with a history of working as the creative director on major titles such as the original Dead Space and various Call of Duty games like Modern Warfare 3, Advanced Warfare, and WW2. Despite their pedigree, the studio's ambitious project ended up with financial setbacks and staff reductions.