The co-op game Transformers Reactivate was canceled before we could see any gameplay

If you ignore the kid-friendly Earthspark Expedition and the slightly weird kart racing game Galactic Trials, it’s been a while since we last had a proper AAA Transformers game. Despite being one of the biggest and coolest franchises to ever exist, it was extremely underserved in the 2020s. There was a glimmer of hope on the horizon thanks Reactivate transformersa promising-looking co-op action game from the experienced team at Splash Damage. However, the studio revealed today that it will end development on Transformers Reactivate and the cast will unfortunately be at risk of redundancy.

Hard times in the gaming industry show no signs of abating, and today’s Splash Damage announcement only exacerbates that. Reactivate transformers It was first revealed during The Game Awards in 2022, and in the two and a half years since that moment, very little has been revealed about it. Cooperative game.

Its only trailer is cinematic, and few gameplay details have been revealed outside of it being a “1-4 player online action game” that will tell a “new, fresh story within the Transformers universe”. Splash Damage also said that players will “play as some of their favorite characters; unique, heavy, and powerful, seamlessly transforming between vehicle and robot forms as they battle The Legion; the greatest threat the Autobots have ever faced.”

Sadly, despite Hasbro’s backing, its promising premise, and Splash Damage’s experience working on big multiplayer franchises like Doom, Halo, and Gears of War, Transformers Reactivate will never see the light of day.

“Today, we have some very difficult news to share,” the studio said He says. “The decision has been made to end development of Transformers: Reactivate. This means that we will be downsizing to refocus our efforts on other projects. Unfortunately, despite all efforts, a number of roles across the studio are now potentially at risk of redundancy.” No figures were provided on how many roles the company is looking to eliminate.

“Although not being able to see the game through to release is painful, having to say goodbye to friends and colleagues hurts even more,” he adds. “We are now focused on doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time, just as we are committed to caring for those who will remain with us as we build a stronger Splash Damage for the future.”

As for what Splash Damage will be focusing on now, it’s the only other thing it’s working on (that’s publicly known, anyway). It’s Astrid’s project, Open world Survival game Which is being developed by the studio alongside top streamers Michael “shroud” Grzesiek and Chris “Sacriel” Ball. Nothing has been said about this project since it was announced in May 2023.

Transformers Reactivate isn’t the only toy to be axed recently before we even saw a moment of gameplay. Just this week, Jar of Sparks (the studio created by former Halo veteran Jerry Hawk) announced that it would be “Stop development” in its first title. At the end of last year, it was the studio of former Mass Effect director Casey Hudson It also canceled its first game It was completely closed due to lack of funding.