Veteran VR Studio Phaser Lock Interactive, Creators of ‘Primal Hunt,’ to Shut Down

Phaser Lock Interactive, the creative minds behind the 2023 Quest exclusive, Primal Hunt, along with a variety of pioneering PC VR titles, has decided to close its doors. This somber announcement was driven by the "challenging economic climate and the state of the gaming industry," according to their statement.

The Austin-based studio, which came into the picture back in 2015, carved out a niche for itself with several notable VR games. Among their portfolio were the bow-shooting game Twisted Arrow from 2016 and the real-time strategy games Final Approach (2016) and Final Assault (2019).

Fast forward to 2023, and Phaser Lock launched Primal Hunt, a dinosaur-hunting adventure that breathed new life into Twisted Arrow’s bow-shooting mechanics. The game, reminiscent of the classic series Turok, was rolled out exclusively for Quest.

While Primal Hunt was well-received, boasting a respectable 4.3 out of 5-star user rating on the Horizon Store, it struggled to hit the mainstream. With a $30 price tag, the game had only 201 reviews at the time of its evaluation, reflecting its niche appeal.

After launching Primal Hunt for Quest, the studio shifted gears, focusing on developing a multiplayer version of the game on Roblox. This free-to-play version attracted quite the crowd with over 5.4 million visits, showing significant initial success. However, the future direction of Primal Hunt became hazy after the studio’s final update in April 2024.

Things took another turn in June 2024 with the exit of co-founder and former studio executive, Michael Daubert, as revealed on LinkedIn. This departure marked a pivotal moment, casting doubt on the studio’s future and its aspirations moving forward.

In a heartfelt letter to their fans on their website, Phaser Lock expressed the following:

"END OF AN ERA

With deep sadness, we announce that Phaser Lock Interactive is shutting down. Despite our relentless efforts to bring our vision to life, the challenging economic climate and the current state of the gaming industry have made it impossible for us to continue. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our loyal fans and the amazing community that has supported us through this journey. Your passion, encouragement, and belief in our work have meant the world to us. While this chapter closes, the memories we’ve created together will remain forever. Thank you for being part of our story."

This message serves as both a farewell and a tribute to the journey they’ve shared with their community, marking the end of a unique era in the VR gaming space.