Star Wars Hunters Studio Shut After Acclaim Founder's New Game Delay

Zynga has officially closed Echtra Games, the studio responsible for Torchlight 3. Since its acquisition four years ago, the team had been developing an unannounced cross-platform action RPG.

IGN confirms the San Francisco-based studio will cease operations by month's end. While the exact number of affected employees remains unclear, LinkedIn shows 61 individuals currently listed as working at Echtra.

Zynga provided IGN with the following statement:

After careful consideration, Zynga has decided to discontinue operations at Echtra Games, halting development on upcoming projects and reducing staff. This move aligns with our strategic resource allocation. We're committed to supporting affected employees throughout this transition with fairness and respect.

Max Schaefer, co-founder of both Runic Games (Torchlight) and Blizzard North (Diablo), established Echtra Games after leaving Runic. Initially backed by Perfect World, the studio aimed to develop a Torchlight MMO before pivoting to Torchlight Frontiers and eventually Torchlight 3. Zynga acquired Echtra in 2021, handing Torchlight 3 to Perfect World while Echtra began developing an unannounced cross-platform RPG alongside NaturalMotion's CSR Racing and Star Wars: Hunters teams.

The fate of Echtra's unrevealed RPG remains unknown. The studio's closure follows Zynga's recent decision to sunset NaturalMotion's Star Wars: Hunters merely nine months after launch. Notably, Zynga parent company Take-Two Interactive has undergone similar restructuring, dissolving its Private Division label earlier this year after workforce reductions and project cancellations.