It’s been a rough couple of years for Don’t Nod. The studio behind Life is Strange and Vampyr has been navigating choppy financial waters, leading to some tough decisions behind the scenes. Now, a new leak has shed light on exactly what one of those casualties was: a promising Sci-Fi Action RPG that never saw the light of day.
According to a report from Need4Games that surfaced on Reddit, the studio pulled the plug on a major Unreal Engine 5 project earlier this year. But it’s not all bad news—the team seems to have pivoted to something even bigger.
The Cancelled Sci-Fi RPG: What We Know
The leak details a project that was in the works for about nine months, running from September 2023 to June 2024. While it never got a flashy trailer or an official title, the description sounds exactly like the kind of ambitious swing fans appreciate from the studio.
- Genre: Single-player Action RPG
- Setting: A new Sci-Fi IP
- Engine: Unreal Engine 5
- Team Size: 15–20 developers (pre-production)
The game was reportedly cancelled due to the company’s restructuring efforts. Financial struggles in 2024 forced Don’t Nod to pause or cancel several unannounced projects (codenamed P10, P12, P13 in financial reports) to focus on titles with better commercial prospects.
Why Was It Cancelled?
It boils down to business. Despite critical praise, recent titles like Jusant and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden didn’t sell as well as hoped [web:25]. In an industry where “good” isn’t always “profitable,” the studio had to tighten its belt. Writing down millions in assets and reorganizing the workforce meant cutting projects that were still in the risky early stages.
The Pivot: A Massive Open-World Game
Here is the silver lining. The developers working on that sci-fi RPG weren’t just left in the cold. According to the leak, the team was reassigned to a “very ambitious” new project.
Sources claim this new game shares some DNA with the cancelled one but expands the scope significantly by adding an Open-World element. It is rumored to be one of the most important titles currently in the pipeline at Don’t Nod. However, don’t expect a reveal anytime soon—it’s reportedly still years away from release.
Project Status Overview
| Project Type | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sci-Fi Action RPG | Cancelled | UE5, Pre-production 2023-2024. |
| New Open-World IP | Active Dev | “Very ambitious,” major priority for the studio. |
| Lost Records: Bloom & Rage | Released | Narrative adventure, recently launched. |
FAQs
1. What was the cancelled Don’t Nod game?
It was a single-player Sci-Fi Action RPG built in Unreal Engine 5. It was a new IP in pre-production for about 9 months.
2. Why did Don’t Nod cancel this game?
The cancellation was part of a restructuring plan due to financial difficulties. The studio needed to prioritize resources after previous games like Jusant underperformed commercially.
3. Is Don’t Nod shutting down?
No. While they have faced financial challenges and layoffs, they are still operating and have shifted focus to larger, potentially more profitable projects [web:27].
4. What is the new open-world project?
Details are scarce, but it is described as a very ambitious open-world game that has become a top priority for the studio. It likely recycles some ideas from the cancelled sci-fi project.
5. Who is Need4Games?
Need4Games is a gaming outlet that recently published these exclusive details, which were then corroborated and discussed on the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit [web:21][web:22].
Conclusion
It is always sad to see a potential hit get scrapped, especially one that sounded as cool as a UE5 Sci-Fi RPG. But if this cancellation paves the way for a more polished, massive open-world experience that keeps the studio afloat, it might be a worthy trade-off. For now, we just have to wait and see what Don’t Nod is cooking up next.