Hopoo Games Pauses Operations as Founders Join Valve Corporation

Hopoo Games, the US-based independent game development studio behind the popular Risk of Rain series, is currently on hiatus as its co-founders, Duncan Drummond and Paul Morse, along with several other team members, have taken on roles at Valve Corporation. The studio announced this development through a series of posts, revealing that the co-founders and other talented members will be contributing to game development at Valve, the renowned studio behind Half-Life and Counter-Strike. While the nature of Drummond and Morse's new roles, whether permanent or temporary, remains unclear, attempts have been made to contact both Hopoo Games and Valve for further clarification. A direct consequence of these personnel changes is the cessation of production on Hopoo Games' unannounced project, codenamed 'Snail'. However, the studio's statement suggests a potential future for Hopoo Games, implying that the current hiatus may not be permanent. Reflecting on their 12-year journey, the team expressed gratitude for the opportunities they've had and appreciation for the support from their fans and team members. They also conveyed their passion for game development and their excitement about collaborating with Valve's talented team. Although Hopoo Games sold the Risk of Rain IP to Gearbox in 2022, the latest development has sparked interest, especially given the recent backlash against the DLC for Risk of Rain 2. Despite this, Drummond has expressed confidence in Gearbox's direction with the game.