Sadly, even when the biggest personalities in entertainment support a project, success is not always guaranteed.
The cancellation of highly anticipated video game projects can be a disappointing reality, even with renowned names and developers involved. Recently, Niantic, Inc, the creators of Pokémon Go, faced the unfortunate cancellation of their upcoming game, Marvel World of Heroes.
This decision came following the closure of their Los Angeles-based studio, resulting in the devastating layoff of 230 employees. In addition to Marvel World of Heroes, another Niantic game, NBA All-World, which was released earlier this year, also met the same fate.
Niantic’s CEO, John Hanke, explained the reasons behind these cancellations and the subsequent layoffs. In an email sent to employees, Hanke cited the “tough market environment due to the overall global macroeconomic slowdown, as well as unique challenges in the mobile gaming and AR markets.”
The mobile gaming landscape has become increasingly crowded since the groundbreaking success of Pokémon Go. Changes in the app store and mobile advertising landscape have made it significantly more challenging to launch new mobile games at scale.
Moreover, the AR market has developed more slowly than anticipated due to technology challenges and reduced investments from larger players.
Niantic’s Focus on Quality and Pokémon Go
As a response to these market challenges, Niantic, Inc will now shift its focus towards releasing fewer, but higher-quality games. The continued support and development of Pokémon Go remain a top priority for the company.
The unprecedented success of Pokémon Go demonstrated Niantic’s ability to capture lightning in a bottle, but replicating that level of achievement has proven difficult with subsequent projects.
Not only did Marvel World of Heroes and NBA All-World face cancellation, but even the Harry Potter game, Wizards Unite, met a similar fate, ceasing to exist in November 2021 after its mobile launch in 2019.
Future Prospects and Employee Impact
Despite recent setbacks, John Hanke remains optimistic about Niantic’s upcoming projects, such as Pikmin Bloom, Peridot, and Monster Hunter Now. However, he acknowledges that there is still a significant amount of work to be done.
The studio’s primary concern now is ensuring that the affected employees find new employment opportunities as soon as possible. The closure of the Los Angeles-based studio and the cancellation of projects undoubtedly took a toll on the dedicated team behind these games.
The cancellation of Marvel World of Heroes, along with the closure of Niantic’s Los Angeles-based studio, highlights the challenges faced by even the most prominent names in the industry.
The evolving mobile gaming and AR markets, combined with a crowded landscape and technology hurdles, have made it increasingly difficult to replicate the success of past ventures.
Nevertheless, Niantic, Inc remains committed to delivering high-quality experiences and continuing the support of Pokémon Go. As the affected staff members navigate their way through this challenging period, one can only hope that they find new opportunities that allow them to contribute their talents to the thriving gaming industry.