MercurySteam, renowned for its work on titles such as Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and the Nintendo Switch exclusive Metroid Dread, has recently announced a workforce adjustment amid the launch of its latest game, Blades of Fire, on Steam. In a LinkedIn post, the studio expressed the difficulty of sharing such news, acknowledging that while workforce changes are not uncommon in the gaming industry, they remain a challenging reality for all involved.
Challenges and Performance Insights
The announcement comes on the heels of Blades of Fire facing commercial hurdles since its initial release. The action-adventure game, inspired by the acclaimed God of War series, was revealed to have “underperformed” last June. Digital Bros, the parent company of publishing label 505 Games, indicated an anticipated write-off of €8 million, attributing part of this to the game’s lackluster sales performance.
Upon its initial launch as an Epic Store exclusive, Blades of Fire faced stiff competition from major titles such as Doom: The Dark Ages and Elden Ring Nightreign. Reviews have been mixed, with our own Kerry Brunskill awarding it a score of 74. While praising the game’s combat mechanics and innovative weapon forging system, the review noted that these strengths were somewhat obscured by various “patience-testing flaws.”
New Beginnings on Steam
Despite its rocky start, there is potential for Blades of Fire to regain momentum with its recent Steam release, accompanied by a significant 2.0 update. This update introduces several new features designed to enhance gameplay, including:
- New Game Plus mode
- A challenging new difficulty level dubbed Titanium, which increases enemy stats and precision of boss attacks
- An arena system allowing players to revisit and battle bosses
- Expanded death and mutilation animations for added visual flair
Additionally, the game now boasts full Steam Deck support, although it is recommended to experience it on a more powerful gaming rig for optimal enjoyment.
As the gaming community watches closely, the effectiveness of these updates in addressing the initial release’s shortcomings remains to be seen. For those who hold a fondness for Blades of Fire’s spiritual predecessor, Blade of Darkness, there is hope that this new chapter will help MercurySteam turn the tide on its latest endeavor.
