Echtra Games, the San Francisco-based studio behind Torchlight 3, will be shut down by its owner Zynga by the end of June.
The studio, acquired by Zynga in 2021, had been working alongside NaturalMotion on another RPG, one we’ll never see. While no specific employee count is listed on the official website, the company’s LinkedIn page lists it as having 61 employees as of writing.
IGN received an official statement confirming the news, which states, “Zynga has made the difficult decision to cease operations at its Echtra studio, ending development on future titles and reducing roles. This decision is part of a strategic realignment of the company’s resources and priorities. We will work closely with impacted employees so they are treated with the utmost respect and consideration as we navigate this difficult process.”
Echtra Games was founded in 2016 by Max Schaefer, but had a history that stretched long before that. While Echtra would make Torchlight 3 it was Runic Games, another studio founded in part by Max alongside his brother Erich, that created Torchlight and Torchlight 2.
Even earlier than that, both Schaefer brothers would team up with David Brevik to found Condor in 1993. Three years later, this team would become Blizzard North, and release the original Diablo in 1997. The team would then go on to release the excellent Diablo 2 in 2000.
Many from this team, including both brothers and Brevik among others from Blizzard North, would then go on to found Flagship Studios, releasing the rad action-RPG Hellgate London in 2007. So there’s a lot of history behind Echtra Games, a real legacy, tragically cut short today.