Reigns developer Nerial enters 'hibernation mode,' lays off staff

Nerial, the British studio behind the Reigns franchise, Card Shark, and The Crush House, announced it is entering 'hibernation mode,' ending all development and laying off its remaining employees. The co-founders, François and Tamara Alliot, shared the news in a social media post, marking the end of a 13-year journey. The announcement follows Devolver Digital's acquisition of Nerial in 2021 and a 40 percent layoff of studio employees in 2024.

In their announcement, the Alliots expressed gratitude to their employees, calling them 'fabulous,' and urged other studios to hire them. They also thanked collaborators at Devolver Digital and partners on licensed titles like Reigns: Game of Thrones and Reigns: The Witcher. The co-founders emphasized that this is not the end of their careers in game development but a temporary break to reflect and return with a new perspective.

The studio's legacy includes 11 published games, with Reigns being its most notable title. Nerial's games were known for their innovative and unusual mechanics, particularly the card-based decision-making systems that defined the Reigns series. The announcement reflects a broader trend of layoffs in the game industry since late 2022.

Developers and fans are encouraged to read the studio-authored Deep Dives on the making of Reigns and The Crush House to learn more about the complex systems that powered these titles. The Alliots concluded their announcement by expressing hope for a future return to game development with renewed creativity and perspective.