Acid Wizard Studio, the developer behind Darkwood and Soccer Kids, is going on an extended hiatus. The studio announced the shocking news on social media, saying that, following the release of Darkwood’s 1.4 update, it will cease operations for the “foreseeable future.” Acid Wizard says that it hasn’t “been able to create a work environment that would not be destructive to our personal lives.” Adding, “Our families are our top priority and they should not be affected negatively by our work.” Although the news will soon bring the studio’s work to a halt, the team does say that there is a “possibility of returning in 5-10 years.”
2/5 After we release it, we're going on hiatus for the forseeable future. We haven't been able to create a work environment that would not be destructive to our personal lives. Our families are our top priority and they should not be affected negatively by our work.
— Acid Wizard Studio (@TheAcidWizard) August 7, 2023
Darkwood released years ago, but Soccer Kids barely got the opportunity to reach the public. In June, Acid Wizard revealed the project for the first time, showcasing a turn-based, strategy take on soccer that would tell a story set in ‘90s Poland. A free, alpha version of the experience was released alongside the reveal and, at the time of this story’s publication, is still available. Unfortunately, Soccer Kids is now completely on hold, but not all hope is lost.
“This doesn’t have to be bad news! We aren’t disappearing into thin air and would like our games to live on,” Acid Wizard’s statement says. “We have been talking to some amazing people who could make a sequel for Darkwood and continue working on Soccer Kids. So spread the word – if you’re a developer/publisher who’s interested in working on those IPs, hit us up!”
Beta testing for Darkwood update 1.4 will resume sometime this month. After its release, Acid Wizard will largely call it quits. There’s still hope for Soccer Kids and a potential Darkwood sequel, but it doesn’t sound like they will be made by the team that started it all. Stay tuned for any updates regarding Acid Wizard’s future.
