Overview

• Outriders 2, codenamed Project Gemini, was nearing completion when work was suspended and then canceled in early June due to payment and communication disputes with Square Enix.
• Motion capture for the third-person shooter was underway at the time of cancellation, marking an unusual late-stage termination in AAA game development.
• The original Outriders launched in 2021 with over 3.5 million unique players and high engagement but struggled to sustain revenue without live-service features.
• Square Enix’s three-year plan to double down on its biggest franchises and limit riskier external IP investments influenced the decision to pull support for the sequel.
• Following layoffs, People Can Fly has redeployed staff to co-development on Gears of War: E-Day and forged partnerships with Krafton and Sony to sustain operations.