Hand of Fate 2 Developer Defiant Shuts Down

Defiant Development, an Australian-based indie developer, aren’t known for a lot: they did Hand of Fate 1, a roguelike card game mixed with Arkham-asylum style combat, and Hand of Fate 2, which was that but much, much better. Despite having only two games under their belt, though, they were applauded across the industry for their innovation and professionalism, and people were excited to see with what they came out with next.

Unfortunately, a brutal year of layoffs, cancelations, and closings has claimed its next victim, and we’ll never get the chance to really find out.

On Twitter, Defiant Development announced that while they’re not ‘closing’, they are ceasing the development of new titles, and effectively closing in everything but name.
 

“It is with sadness that we announce Defiant is ceasing Development.

…When we started this studio, we did so with a clear goal in mind. To hire great people, to create great games and to do that in an ethical manner with respect for our team and our audience.

The defiant model has always focused on creating games nobody else would. Games that reflected the skills and passions of our team. Games that did something new. Our process has always been focused on iteration and exploration. We go into dark places, searching for hidden treasures. We set out without knowing where the journey will take us, and we do so knowing that the unknown is not always safe.

That is a risky way to make games, and we knew that. When it succeeds it delvers things that you could have never considered possible. When it fails, it leaves you without a safety net.

The games market has changed in ways both big and small in the past 9 years we’ve been in business. We have not been able to change quickly enough to continue with them.

To everyone who has supported us on this journey, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

 
They wrapped things up by saying that while their staff is currently available for-hire (and people should do that), Defiant as an entity will continue to exist in “caretaker mode” to support their existing products… presumably to help with customer service and get whatever small amount of money they can get from new sales. It’s also probably a secret bid to buy time until they can be purchased by another studio with the capital for it, although only they know that for sure.

In any case, it’s sad news, and I wish the developers all the best.