We’re sorry to report this afternoon that indie grimdark sandbox Revival is being put on indefinite hold. Illfonic‘s Adam “Snipehunter” Maxwell has posted that formal work on the client is coming to a halt and sales of homes in-game will end, though he’s also hinted that unpaid work will continue and said “it’s not completely dead.”
“So, what went wrong? I suppose the mistake, if one is to be called out, came in the thought that we could soldier through on what we have available. It goes something like this: When we first set out to build Revival, we had access to expertise and resources that aren’t available today. Making up for their loss, be it as simple as lacking sufficient animators or as complicated as losing access to certain networking expertise, has been a costly affair, far more costly than we can honestly afford to bear. So, what does that mean? Is Revival completely dead?
Look, we’ve waited nearly 20 years to make Revival, and maybe we can wait a little longer, so no, it’s not completely dead. It’ll be a cold day in Animae’s realm before I give up on Revival and most of us at IllFonic feel the same way, but however we determine to move forward with it, none of us feel comfortable playing some “business as usual” game while we work it out. We’re going to have to figure some new way to make Revival happen, but we’re not going to lie to you while we do and that’s what this is about. So, is Revival dead? I really don’t know, but whatever happens, it won’t be moving ahead the way we’d planned its current form at IllFonic. We have some ideas on how we can move forward, but they aren’t a true plan yet and they aren’t a guarantee.”
Founders who’ve already put money into the game aren’t completely screwed.
“You can still access everything you’ve got access to today. Your renovation kits, your properties; all of it. We have no plans to turn them off or shut down access in the foreseeable future. We’re also going to unlock visitation access to all of the properties you don’t currently have access to, including the estates. You won’t “own” them, but you will be able to see every home that you couldn’t before. I know it’s not much, but you made a lot of work possible and you should at least be able to see it, right? Next, you will receive a steam key for Nexuiz, one of IllFonic’s first games and the first game Ombwah and I ever collaborated with IllFonic to make. Finally, you’ll also receive a steam key for Moving Hazard, one of the new projects currently under development here, and presently in Early Access in steam.”
Revival was best known for its implementation of radical game mechanics, including slavery and prostitution. Here’s a quick look at some of our coverage of the game over the past year:
How player healers will cure disease and set bones in Revival
Revival discusses the size and the history of estates
A day in the life of a Revival hunter
Revival puts the finishing touches on renovation kits
Grimdark sandbox Revival plans the wrap-up of its first client stage
Revival plots the course of cartography
Revival seeks more fans, plans investment into the game in 2016
Revival’s tags support ‘elements of role playing that many still believe are impossible in an MMO’
Revival opens up houses for owners to wander
Revival outlines mechanics for religion and temples
Revival’s Gonzalez: ‘This is a passion project and not a money grab’
Revival recaps its June dev blogs, talks physical coin storage
Revival says it will feature ‘graphic sex’
Sex and horror will mix in Revival
Revival is launching player housing this month
