Phaser Lock Interactive, the well-known creators behind the Quest-only title Primal Hunt from 2023 and several early PC VR games, has announced its closure, attributing the decision to tough economic conditions and challenges in the gaming industry today.
Since its inception in 2015, this Austin, Texas-based VR studio has produced several notable PC VR games. Their portfolio includes Twisted Arrow (2016), a unique bow-shooter, and engaging real-time strategy games Final Approach (2016) and Final Assault (2019).
Earlier in 2023, Phaser Lock introduced the dino-hunting adventure Primal Hunt, which cleverly incorporated Twisted Arrow’s bow mechanics into a single player experience reminiscent of Turok, exclusively for the Quest platform.
While Primal Hunt achieved a respectable user rating of 4.3 out of 5 on the Horizon Store, attracting a broad audience proved to be challenging. As of now, a mere 201 users have reviewed this mature-rated game, which hit the shelves with a $30 price tag.
Not long after launching Primal Hunt on Quest, Phaser Lock shifted its focus towards creating a multiplayer version of the game for Roblox. This shift in strategy paid off somewhat, as the free-to-play version racked up an impressive 5.4 million visits on the Roblox platform. However, its development progress halted, with the last update being rolled out in April 2024, leaving fans wondering about the future of Primal Hunt.
The studio faced further uncertainty in June 2024 when co-founder and previous studio executive Michael Daubert announced his departure via LinkedIn. This made the company’s future direction even more unclear.
In a heartfelt statement shared on their website, Phaser Lock Interactive expressed their sorrow about the studio’s closure:
END OF AN ERA
It is with profound sadness that we announce the closure of Phaser Lock Interactive. Despite our tireless efforts to turn our vision into reality, the difficult economic climate and the state of the gaming industry have made it unsustainable for us to continue. We want to extend our sincere gratitude to our loyal fans and the incredible community that has supported us throughout this journey. Your passion, encouragement, and belief in our work have been invaluable. Although this chapter is ending, the memories we’ve made together will endure forever. Thank you for being part of our story.
Thus, our journey with Phaser Lock comes to an end, but the impact they’ve made in the VR gaming space will not be forgotten.
