French Indie Game Studio Black Flag Closes Down Due to Financial Constraints

French independent game development studio, Black Flag, has officially ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy. In a statement released on Steam, the studio attributed its shutdown to a dispute with its publisher, which led to a significant reduction in funding over the past few months. As a result, the studio was left with no choice but to close its doors, as mandated by French law. The team behind Black Flag expressed its inability to disclose the specifics of its contract with the publisher, but revealed that it did not retain the rights to its Orphan Age IP in a way that would have allowed it to secure an alternative publisher. The studio's founder and game director, Adrien Forestier, expressed his disappointment and sadness over the situation, stating that the studio's closure marks a difficult end to their journey. Despite the challenges, Forestier hopes that the Orphan Age project will eventually see the light of day, even if it's not under the Black Flag banner. The studio has announced that it will not be able to provide refunds to its crowdfunding backers, as the funds had already been exhausted. However, it plans to release an unfinished build of Orphan Age to the community in the future.