Following painful layoffs, Camelot Unchained is apparently still planning to resurface in Q1 2025
Earlier this month, we expressed serious concern over the fate of Camelot Unchained when it grew to become clear that studio Unchained Entertainment had laid off 24 of its 55 developers owing to (we theorized) investor issues – and now we’ve bought at the least a naked acknowledgement from a dev, although possibly not one anybody is going to like.
A small recap is in order (longer recap is here): RvR MMORPG Camelot Unchained was initially Kickstarted all the way back in 2013; the Mark Jacobs-led studio put the sport in beta, opened a second studio, and revealed a second game, Final Stand Ragnarok, constructed on CU’s customized engine. As of final 12 months, Unchained mentioned it had scored investor funding to launch Camelot Unchained by the tip of this 2025, following a playable slice expected last summer, however we didn’t get one; as an alternative, last fall CU sent a letter to backers heralding a “temporary suspension of external playtesting […] until the build is stable and polished enough to show you the progress we made and not just a giant construction zone.” The letter additionally instructed gamers to count on extra particulars “early next year” (which means early 2025) in the type of discussion board/Discord bulletins and a “State of the Game presentation” from Jacobs.
Apparently, that’s still incoming, and in reality, there’s now a timer ticking on the entire ordeal. A participant named – and I’m not making this up – Phallic Ballchinius posted a lengthy thread and petition on the forums again on January twentieth, instantly after the layoffs grew to become public data; the petition chastised the studio for its lack of communication, identified Final Stand Ragnarok’s miseries, and accused UE of “mismanagement of backer funds,” all whereas demanding a timeline for CU, a dedication to scheduled updates, and a reopening of refunds. Mr. Ballchinius (I’m sorry however LOL) then lays out what certain seems to be to us like a delicate authorized menace.
“If we do not receive a detailed timeline and regular updates within days (April 20, 2025), we will explore the option of filing a class-action lawsuit under applicable consumer protection laws. This action would aim to secure refunds for all eligible backers and ensure accountability for the promises made during the campaign.”
There’s only some signatories to this petition, and naturally MMORPG gamers know how unlikely legal success in lawsuits against Kickstarted MMOs actually is, and additionally the participant is named Phallic Ballchinius, however nonetheless, an Unchained Entertainment developer did reply.
“I’ve forwarded this message to [Mark Jacobs] and you can expect to see a response within the next 90 days,” Camelot Unchained neighborhood supervisor Travis Parsley replied.
Ninety days, after all, is still throughout the window of early 2025, however it does look as if UE plans to preserve that promise from final fall. Whether it’ll appease pissed off gamers is one other story.
