UK developer Frontier has said it will refocus on making simulation games following the launch of real-time strategy game Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin.
In a business update, the developer behind Planet Coaster, Planet Zoo and Jurassic World Evolution admitted that Warhammer sales had “been lower than expected” since its launch earlier this month, and that it was lowering its revenue forecast for the year.
The news comes just a month after layoffs at the studio were announced, with an unknown number of people set to leave following an ongoing consultation period.
Frontier said it had attempted to “diversify its game portfolio during the last five years, including through third-party publishing and new games in ‘adjacent genres'” but that this had “not delivered the anticipated success.”
The company will now decided to refocus its development efforts on the management simulation genre which has previously provided it success.
Planet Coaster, Jurassic World Evolution and Planet Zoo have all achieved a return on investment of over 250 percent, Frontier notes. But the F1 Manager series has not seen the same success, with entries in 2022 and 2023 underperforming.
Frontier has three upcoming simulation games now scheduled for launch over the next three financial years. It will also continue to support Elite Dangerous and the F1 Manager franchise.
In a statement, studio founder David Braben said it had been a “turbulent and difficult year for Frontier”.
“I am confident that our renewed focus on CMS [Creative Management Simulations] will return Frontier back to profitability,” Frontier CEO Jonny Watts added. “I’d like to thank our people and our shareholders for their patience and support as we go through a challenging period of change.”
Laura Adams is a tech enthusiast residing in the UK. Her articles cover the latest technological innovations, from AI to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.
