Gonna try to talk about what happened with Echtra Games, and wow, it’s a twisty one. So, bear with me, okay? Feels kinda weird, but here we go.
One fine day (or not-so-fine, depending how you look at it), Zynga decides to give the boot to Echtra Games. I mean, ouch, right? Word got around through IGN — of all places. Not exactly a cozy chat over coffee. They said it’s all about “strategic realignment” and, wow, doesn’t that sound super corporate?
Max Schaefer, now there’s a name with some history. This guy co-founded Runic Games, birthed Torchlight, and did his thing with its sequel back in 2012. Somewhere down the line, he’s like, “Time for something new!” and poof — Echtra pops into existence in 2016. Perfect World snaps up Torchlight 3 in 2020, so they’re still hanging onto it like a kid with a favorite toy.
Now, in 2021, our buddies at Zynga roll in. Money changes hands — uh, details are hush-hush — and they snag Echtra. But don’t forget, Perfect World still clings to Torchlight 3. At Zynga, Echtra’s jamming on some mystery RPG, also brushing shoulders with CSR Racing and Star Wars: Hunters, but, uh, things didn’t exactly go smoothly there.
Then, BAM — news drop. Zynga’s pulling the plug, waving goodbye to their Echtra studio. No more game cook-ups, roles cut, and, let’s face it, lots of folks aren’t thrilled. The rep’s talking about respect and consideration for those shell-shocked employees, which, sure, but it’s still a rollercoaster of emotions.
Anyway — or wait, what was I saying again? Oh, yeah — end of an era for Echtra. Crazy, right?
