Reigns developer Nerial enters 'hibernation mode,' lays off staff

Bryant Francis,Senior Editor,GameDeveloper.com

October 2, 2026

schedule2 Min ReadImage via Nerial/Devolver Digital

Nerial, the celebrated British game studio behind the Reigns franchise, Card Shark, and The Crush House has announced it is entering 'hibernation mode,' ending development and laying off its remaining employees. The studio shared the news in a post on social media authored by co-founders François and Tamara Alliot, marking an end to its 13-year journey of making innovative and unusual games.

"Oh no, another one of those studio announcements with text on a somber background color?" it begins, in an allusion to the many posts that have accompanied dozens of layoff announcements that have hit the game industry since late 2022. "Unfortunately, yes, another one. Nerial is entering hibernation mode. After 13 years and 11 published games, we have decided together with our partners at Devolver to end development at the studio."

"It's been an incredible adventure," wrote the co-founders, saying they launched Nerial with "no expectations or ambitions." They urged other studios to hire the studio's "fabulous", crew of employees, heaping praise on each of them in a series of follow-up posts.

Additionally, they thanked the studio's many collaborators at Devolver Digital (which acquired the studio in 2021 and laid off 40 percent of studio employees in 2024) and other organizations that partnered with them on licensed titles like Reigns: Game of Thrones and Reigns: The Witcher.

François and Tamara said that it's "not the end of game dev" for them, but they need to take a break before "going back to their roots."

"We need to take a break and reflect on everything that's happened before coming back with a new perspective," they concluded.

Developers looking to commemorate the studio's legacy and learn more about the titles that gave it a distinct identity should be sure to read the developer-authored Deep Dives on the making of the complex systems powering Reigns and The Crush House.

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About the Author

Bryant Francis

Senior Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Bryant Francis is a writer, journalist, and narrative designer based in Boston, MA. He currently writes for Game Developer, a leading B2B publication for the video game industry. His credits include Proxy Studios' 4X strategy game Zephon, Iron Anchor Studios' Down With The Ship, and Amplitude Studio's 2017 game Endless Space 2.

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