Open Roads Team Parts Ways with Fullbright

The development team behind Open Roads has officially severed ties with Fullbright, the game studio where the project originated. According to Polygon, the team, now rebranded as The Open Roads Team, will continue its partnership with publisher Annapurna Interactive. This split was confirmed by Fullbright co-founder Steve Gaynor in a recent update, stating that it is no longer appropriate for Fullbright to publicly represent Open Roads, and the game will be credited to The Open Roads Team upon its release. The announcement comes almost two years after Gaynor stepped down as the lead on the project, following allegations of poor leadership and mistreatment of female staff members. His behavior was reported to have led to the departure of 15 staff members since the project's inception in 2019. In his statement, Gaynor reflected on his past management, saying, 'I was increasingly unhappy in my role, which negatively impacted my behavior towards studio staff. This is something I deeply regret and should have addressed sooner. However, I failed to do so, and I take full responsibility.' Additionally, Gaynor revealed that Fullbright's upcoming game will be a solo project, with him as the sole developer.