Fantastic Pixel Castle, the Studio Behind the Ghost MMO, Will “Likely Close” as NetEase Ceased Funding

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Fantastic Pixel Castle, a game studio started by former Riot Games executive Greg Street, is facing possible closure. According to Street, the studio will probably shut down if they can’t secure a new partner to publish their games, as their current agreement with NetEase Games is ending.

So, it’s looking pretty bad for *Project Ghost*, the MMO they’ve been working on. Apparently, they’re having a really hard time getting enough money, and honestly, it might mean the game never actually comes out. It’s a bummer, I was really excited about it!

In March 2023, Street departed from Riot Games while heading the development of the new League of Legends MMO. Shortly after, in November of the same year, he founded Fantastic Pixel Castle.

He also went on to announce that they’re working on a new MMO codenamed Ghost.

Street chose to work with NetEase because he felt they shared his team’s goals and would give them the freedom, funding, and assistance needed to succeed.

Since then, NetEase made significant changes, most notably by closing several game development studios. These included Worlds Untold (led by Mac Walters), Jar of Sparks (led by Jerry Hook), and T-Minus Zero Entertainment (led by Rich Vogel).

Not long ago, the publisher decided to let go of Fantastic Pixel Castle as well.

Possible Cancellation of the Upcoming MMO, Ghost

Yesterday, Street announced on LinkedIn that Fantastic Pixel Castle and NetEase Games were ending their partnership.

Street announced that Fantastic Pixel Castle is no longer a first-party studio with NetEase Games. NetEase has been helpful in their search for a new publisher for their game, but finding a deal is proving difficult given the current gaming market, especially for a large-scale game like an MMORPG.

Right now, the team is actively seeking funding from investors or a publisher for Project Ghost. If they can’t secure it, the MMO will likely be canceled.

This isn’t much of a shock, though, as reports surfaced months ago suggesting Fantastic Pixel Castle was “in danger of losing its funding”.

A NetEase representative told Bloomberg that the company is committed to providing a wide variety of games for players around the world. They also explained that it’s normal for game companies to evaluate how well their games and development teams might perform, and make decisions based on those evaluations.

Recently, the game’s creator, Street, shared an early version with popular gaming personalities like Josh Strife Hayes. Based on the current feedback, this may be the only time the game is publicly playable.

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2025-10-10 22:36