Bret Robbins, the director of “Immortals of Aveum,” asserts that despite setbacks, the EA-backed FPS game still holds promise. He quietly unveils that Ascendant Studios, the development team behind the game, is engaged in a new project.
Reflecting on the project’s trajectory, which reportedly incurred a total expenditure of $125 million encompassing development and marketing expenses, Robbins points to the overwhelming influx of new game releases that inundated the market in 2023.
“As we were approaching the launch, we were well aware of the dense competition,” Robbins explains to GamesIndustry. “It was an exceptionally crowded year. ‘Zelda’ had recently debuted, ‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’ preceded us slightly, and just as we were gearing up for our release, ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ unexpectedly soared in popularity. That one, more than any other, caught us off guard.
“We were already mindful of ‘Armored Core 6’ launching the same week, and ‘Starfield’ was slated just 10 days after our release. We found ourselves sandwiched between numerous major titles or those from renowned studios. We undoubtedly struggled to stand out amidst the noise… It was a formidable lineup of big-name games, and being a new studio, we lacked the recognition.”
This isn’t the first instance where Robbins has attributed the underperformance of “Immortals of Aveum” to the abundance of high-profile releases in the previous year. Twice now, he’s highlighted the unexpected success of “Baldur’s Gate 3” as a pivotal factor.
“Immortals of Aveum” encountered a last-minute delay—a “polishing pass,” as Robbins describes it—pushing its release from July to August, placing it in even closer proximity to the launches of “Starfield” and “Baldur’s Gate 3.” “While the game saw improvements, the timing worked against us,” Robbins remarks.
“One can never predict the outcomes. Perhaps if we had delayed to February 2024… then suddenly, ‘Helldivers 2’ might overshadow us.”
Despite acknowledging that “Immortals of Aveum” initially fell short of financial expectations, Robbins remains optimistic, drawing parallels to a cult classic sci-fi horror film he directed in 2008: “Dead Space.”
“The narrative of ‘Immortals’ is far from over,” he asserts. “I helmed ‘Dead Space,’ and audiences continued to discover it for years afterward. I believe ‘Immortals’ will follow a similar trajectory.”
Recent reports from GamesIndustry indicate a surge in sales for “Immortals of Aveum,” particularly during the period between November and January, spurred by a 50% discount and a significant update dubbed the “Echollector.”
However, buried towards the end of the article, Robbins discloses that Ascendant Studios is internally developing a new project and exploring potential future endeavors, although no details have been unveiled as of yet.
In September, Ascendant Studios downsized approximately 45% of its workforce following the disappointing sales of “Immortals of Aveum.” Just this past Wednesday, EA, the parent company, initiated a massive restructuring, resulting in the closure of a studio and the cancellation of several projects, along with the termination of around 670 employees, roughly 5% of its workforce.
