Kerbal Space Program 2 review bombed after Take-Two shuts down developer

The sequel to Kerbal Space Program has been review bombed on Steam after Take-Two Interactive shut down the development studio behind the game.

According to Bloomberg, Take-Two permanently closed two of its subsidiaries as part of mass layoffs across the business. One of those is Roll7, the team behind OlliOlli World and Rollerdrome. The other is Kerbal Space Program 2 developer Intercept Games, and fans aren’t happy.

The original Kerbal Space Program is a game unlike any other, an immensely impressive space flight simulator. It lets players build and customize ships in an attempt to get a nation of little green people known as Kerbals.

The announcement of the sequel was met with positivity by those who played the original but it has experienced a rocky road through Early Access. The December 2023 update looked to be a turning point for the game, adding a lot to the existing content, but this latest blow has been seen by some as a potential death knell.

The game now sits on Mixed reviews overall on Steam, with recent reviews classed as Overwhelmingly Negative. Many of these come from fans of the game who have been angered by Take-Two’s decision to close the development studio.

“Canning development like TakeTwo did was really heartbreaking,” one negative review reads.

Another player’s review said, “Well, my 2nd biggest fear happened after Take2 picked this up. They didn’t do microtransactions, they just killed the game outright by laying off the studio.”

The future for Kerbal Space Program 2 has been made to look more bleak following a statement made by Take-Two spokesperson Alan Lewis to GamesIndustry.biz.

“On 16th April, Take-Two announced a cost reduction program to identify efficiencies across its business and to enhance the company’s margin profile, while still investing for growth. As part of these efforts, the company is rationalising its pipeline and eliminating several projects in development and streamlining its organisational structure, which will eliminate headcount and reduce future hiring needs.”

The purported elimination of several projects will be a major worry for fans, though the project will supposedly continue development under publisher Private Division, the indie arm of Take-Two.