Polyarc Games, the developer behind the critically acclaimed Moss games, has announced it is shutting down.
The Seattle studio announced it is ceasing operations starting today, September 11, 2026, with a post on LinkedIn. It’s a shock announcement that will see the company close its doors after 12 years.
“After nearly 12 years riding the joyous rollercoaster of emotions that is making video games, our time together has come to an end,” Polyarc said. “As we wind down active development, we are saying our farewells to each other.
“Working together over all of these years has been an honor. Bringing surprise and delight to those who played our games has been a privilege. Thank you to everyone at Polyarc, our work is now finished. Polyarc has been home to exceptional developers across all disciplines.
The post then signed off, encouraging game developers looking for talent to hire members of its team. The full list shared with the message totals 29 names, including artists, designers, animation experts, engineers, and more.
“Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey,” Polyarc signed off.
Polyarc developed and published its first title, Moss VR, in 2018. An action-adventure puzzle game starring a small mouse named Quill, the game was well-received by critics and fans alike. IGN gave it an 8.5/10 upon its release, saying, “Quill and her fantastical world of Moss are instantly likable. This storybook action-adventure makes stellar use of VR.”
We also found 2022’s Moss: Book 2 to be found similarly enjoyable. In our 8/10 review, we said it “builds upon its predecessor nicely with a captivating world and entertaining platforming, let down primarily by the PSVR’s aging tech.”
In 2023, Polyarc released Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss, a more tactical take on the series. A non-VR version of both Moss and its sequel, Moss: The Forgotten Relic, was released just two months ago in July 2026. It also received an 8/10 from IGN.
“Moss: The Forgotten Relic is an incredibly charming fairy tale, and aside from a couple of minor issues, this is a very smooth remake that doesn’t feel compromised by breaking free of its VR-exclusive origins,” we said at the time.
Polyarc is, unfortunately, far from the first studio closure in 2026. PlayStation’s Bluepoint Games and Dark Outlaw Games were both shut down earlier this year. Ubisoft announced it was closing some of its studios in June. The list goes on, with Netflix also shuttering Oxenfree developer Night School just last month. GreedFall developer Spiders shut down in April. Microsoft announced plans to cut 3,200 staff in July.
Michael Cripe
Freelance Writer
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).