Last Updated on Oct 27, 2025 @ 13:20:10 PM.
People Can Fly recently made a shock announcement that two major projects that the studio was working on have been cancelled, and ThumbWars has now learned that one of these was the much-demanded Outriders 2.
We learned that the development team only became aware of the gravity of the studio’s situation at the same time as everyone else after speaking to an insider source, who, under the promise of being kept anonymous, also gave us information regarding the cancelled projects in question. It has been confirmed (and corroborated by another source) that one of the two cancelled titles, officially referred to previously as Project Gemini, was in fact Outriders 2.
The game was reportedly “nearly finished”, but due to circumstances reportedly outside the studio’s control, People Can Fly was forced to cancel the project, as was publicly announced in their press release on LinkedIn.
Outriders, the online-only, third-person semi-futuristic looter-shooter, was seen as a success by both People Can Fly and Square Enix, with over 3.5 million players playing it in its first month, so it makes sense that a sequel was greenlit, and four years on, was near completion. Square Enix even referred to the first game to be “poised to be the company’s next big franchise” – the specifics that resulted in the cancellation are still unknown, but it is a surprising course correction considering past comments.
Project Bifrost was the name of the second cancelled title, and was a live-service game not based on a previously established IP. Despite being a brand-new IP, our source told us that the game failed to generate enthusiasm internally and even within the studio was even seen as a ‘generic, trend-chasing product lacking in originality and creativity’.
It is becoming increasingly clear that despite the gaming industry outpacing both film and music in terms of revenue, its foundation remains deeply unstable. Frequent layoffs, mismanaged projects, and baffling decisions at the top level continue to disrupt even the most promising titles, with Outriders 2 being only the most recent example, and the rumored Xbox layoffs potentially soon to follow. For now, we know People Can Fly continues to work with Krafton, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Xbox Game Studios on Project Echo, Delta, and the much-anticipated Gears of War: E-Day, respectively.
People Can Fly didn’t respond when approached for comment. If that changes, this article will be updated to reflect that.
For more Thumb Wars Gaming coverage, don’t miss Tim Willits teasing a ‘really cool’ announcement for World War Z, his attitude towards offering help to John Romero, or how he prefers to play the co-op zombie shooter John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando.
Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
