Reigns and Card Shark developers Nerial are closing down, laying staff off while the founders go "back to our roots"

Nerial, the developers behind Reigns and Card Shark games, have announced that they are closing down or entering a period of inactivity. The decision was made in consultation with their parent company, Devolver Digital. The entire team is now searching for new opportunities. CEO Tamara Alliot and creative director Françoise Alliot shared the news on social media, stating that they have decided to end development at the studio after 13 years.

They did not elaborate on the reasons behind the closure, except to say that a change was needed after such a long time.

Although this marks the end of Nerial as it is known, the Alliots have assured that their passion for game development remains strong. They plan to return to their roots and start anew. Françoise Alliot expressed his unrelenting drive to create games, but first, the team needs to take a break and reflect on their journey before coming back with a fresh perspective.

The closure of Nerial has affected several key personnel, including Oscar Harrington-Shaw, Helen O'Dell, Neil Goodman, Gordon Speirs, Ben Obikoya, Neil Bull, and AJ Kerr. The Alliots have encouraged potential employers to consider these individuals, as they believe they won't regret it.

Françoise Alliot also shared his personal feelings on LinkedIn, lamenting the loss of Nerial as it has been a significant part of his life for the past 13 years. He emphasized that the team was the best in the world, but he and Tamara decided to take some time off. The closure of Nerial has left a void, as the company has produced some of his favorite games, such as Card Shark, Crush House, and Reigns. Despite the disappointment, the Alliots hope that the industry can support teams like Nerial better in the future.