Piranha Bytes, the German video game studio best known for the Gothic, Risen, and ELEX series of RPGs, is the latest casualty of Embracer Group’s continued efforts at restructuring following its failed $2 billion investment deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, according to a new report that explains how there will be no further sequels to those games, as its former leaders, Björn Pankratz and Jennifer Pankratz, have already moved on and started a new studio, one that will focus on indie games. The news comes a few months after Piranha shared a business update on X, telling fans on what used to be Twitter that it is doing “whatever it takes” to find a partner for its next project.
From a report:
- “The Gothic chapter is over, there will be no Elex 3 with them: Björn Pankratz and Jennifer Pankratz have started their own business after leaving the apparently closed role-playing game developer Piranha Bytes.”
- “Their new company is called Pithead Studio and there are already initial plans for future games. Important for fans of Elex, Risen and Gothic, in which the two played a leading role as game designers and story writers: The new projects will also contain role-playing elements.”
- “For the time being, Pithead Studio only has two founders as employees. Jenny Pankratz leaves it open in an interview whether Piranha Bytes developers will later find their way to their former bosses.”
Piranha told fans in January:
— Piranha Bytes (@Piranha_Bytes) January 22, 2024
Björn and Jennifer Pankratz confirming the new studio:
A trailer for the upcoming Gothic 1 remake from Alkimia Interactive:
Game description:
The Kingdom of Myrtana has been invaded by an implacable horde of orcs. King Rhobar II, in need of a large quantity of magical ore in order to forge powerful weapons, operates the Khorinis mines with all available prisoners.
To prevent them from escaping, the monarch asks his best magicians to create a magical barrier. But something goes wrong. The magic gets out of control and a mutiny turns the mines into a wild territory now controlled by the most violent prisoners.
The King is forced to negotiate with the new owners, while the tension between the different factions of the mines increases. What no one expects is that the arrival of an unknown prisoner will change absolutely everything.