Vertigo Games shuts Amsterdam studio amid tough VR market
The closure of the Amsterdam site, originally founded as Force Field Entertainment, leaves the status of the company’s Rotterdam office uncertain as the parent group continues restructuring.
Vertigo Games has confirmed the closure of its Amsterdam studio, a move driven by what the company describes as a challenging virtual reality market. CEO Richard Stitselaar announced the decision via X, stating that the leadership had made the difficult call after careful consideration. The studio, which was originally established as Force Field Entertainment in 2015 by the team behind Guerrilla Games, joined Vertigo Games in 2021.
The Amsterdam location was responsible for developing titles such as Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow and Star Trek: Bridge Crew. Its closure comes at a time when the broader virtual reality sector is facing headwinds, with Stitselaar noting that the market remains a difficult space for developers and publishers alike. The decision impacts the operations of a studio founded by the creators of the Horizon Zero Dawn series.
Vertigo Games operates as a subsidiary of the Embracer Group, a parent company that has undergone significant financial turbulence in recent years. Embracer has faced severe financial difficulties, resulting in thousands of layoffs across its portfolio. The group recently sold its key property, Gearbox Entertainment, and announced plans to split into three separate publicly listed companies to streamline its operations.
The company currently employs approximately 150 staff members across two offices in the Netherlands. While the Amsterdam studio is closing, the future of Vertigo Studios Rotterdam remains unclear. The Rotterdam office was responsible for the Arizona Sunshine franchise, a VR zombie survival series, and its status is not yet defined following the announcement.
This restructuring reflects the broader pressures facing the gaming industry, particularly within niche segments like virtual reality. As Embracer Group continues to reorganise its assets and workforce, the fate of the remaining Dutch operations will likely be closely watched by investors and industry analysts assessing the viability of VR-focused development studios.
