NetEase Games closes Bad Brain Game Studios

Bad Brain Game Studios, a Montreal-based game developer established by NetEase Games in 2023, will close its doors on November 17, studio head Sean Crooks said in a LinkedIn post.

The studio was developing a title code-named The Midnight Riders. A newly released sizzle reel shows a 1980s-inspired action adventure game. According to Bad Brain Game Studios, both the game and its underlying intellectual property are still available for acquisition or partnership, with NetEase Games being open to discussion with publishers who see potential in continuing its development.

Here is the full message from Crooks on the studio’s closure:

An Update on Bad Brain Game Studios

It’s with a heavy heart that we share that Bad Brain Game Studios will be closing its doors. Our last official day of operation will be on November 17.

Despite our continuing efforts to seek a new partner for the project, a path forward has yet to materialize. We are deeply grateful to NetEase Games for their support and for giving us runway to explore every possible opportunity. Our team poured everything into this journey—pushing creative and technical boundaries every day with passion, imagination, and craft. What we achieved together stands as lasting proof of this team’s extraordinary talent.

The enthusiastic response our project has received is a direct reflection of that creativity and dedication. While the outcome may not be what we had hoped for, I’ve seen firsthand that we succeeded in reaching players and peers who believed in what we were building. To those who supported the game, shared encouragement, and championed our vision—thank you.

As we close this chapter, the game and its underlying [intellectual property] is still available for acquisition or partnership, and we / NetEase are open to discussions with publishers or studios who see potential in continuing its development. We believe strongly in what was created, and would love to see this world find its way to players.

To help support our people as they take their next steps, we’ll also be releasing a sizzle reel from the project publicly, giving everyone the chance to showcase their incredible work and open doors to new opportunities.

If you’re looking for world-class developers, artists, and storytellers, please reach out—we would be proud to connect you with them.

Finally, I want to extend my deepest gratitude once again to everyone who supported us along the way. Your encouragement and belief in what we were building meant the world to us. While this chapter is ending sooner than we had hoped, the spirit of what we created at Bad Brain will live on through the incredible people who made it possible.

Sean Crooks
Studio Head