NetEase Shuts Down MMO Studio From WoW, League of Legends Veteran Greg Street
2025-11-04
Image credit: GameSpot
The high-stakes gamble of creating a new massively multiplayer online game has been cut short for one of the industry's most respected veterans. Fantastic Pixel Castle, the US-based studio led by Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street, is being shut down by its parent company, Chinese technology giant NetEase. The closure brings an abrupt and premature end to the studio's ambitious but unreleased MMO, codenamed "Ghost," after approximately two years of operation.
The news was confirmed by Street himself in a somber public statement. "It is with a heavy heart that I share that Fantastic Pixel Castle will be closing its doors at the end of this month," he announced, providing a definitive timeline for the studio's dissolution GameSpot. This closure is particularly jarring because of the immense credibility Street brought to the project. As a former lead systems designer for Blizzard Entertainment's genre-defining World of Warcraft and later the lead game designer for Riot Games' global phenomenon League of Legends, his involvement alone generated considerable anticipation for 'Ghost.' His pedigree signaled a serious new contender in a genre many players feel has been stagnating for years GamesRadar+.
Street was quick to clarify the circumstances surrounding the decision, absolving his team of any responsibility for the project's cancellation. "This was a decision made by NetEase, our parent company, and is not a reflection of the efforts of the development team," he explained, pointing the accountability squarely at the publisher Polygon. The move is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern for NetEase's Western expansion. The shuttering of Fantastic Pixel Castle follows the company's recent closure of another US-based team, the Seattle-based Jar of Sparks, deepening concerns about the publisher's commitment to its international studios and contributing to the ongoing narrative of instability plaguing the global games industry.
With the studio's fate sealed, the focus has shifted from game development to the human cost. Online, the community reaction has been one of widespread disappointment for the lost potential of 'Ghost,' but also of significant empathy for the developers now facing unemployment. This sentiment was echoed by Street himself, who prioritized the welfare of his colleagues above all else. "While we'd love to make our game, our first priority is to help our developers find employment," he said, a statement that has resonated positively with a community weary of publisher-driven layoffs and closures PC Gamer.
For now, another promising MMO fades to black, its potential left unrealized. Crucial details remain undisclosed, including the specific reasons behind NetEase’s decision to pull funding, the exact number of employees affected by the shutdown, and what secrets the world of 'Ghost' might have held. Its cancellation serves as a stark reminder that even with a world-class leader at the helm, the path to launching a new MMO is fraught with peril in an increasingly volatile industry.