The future of the creators of Shovel Knight is uncertain and depends on the success of their next game
The American indie team Yacht Club Games is not in the best financial shape. Studio leaders disclosed this in a conversation with Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier.
Mina the Hollower
According to the developers, the financial strain at Yacht Club Games recently became apparent: the studio has spent most of its capital and has switched to austerity mode. In 2024, as part of cost reduction measures, it laid off some staff and has not ruled out the possibility of letting more employees go soon. Additionally, by the end of the year, Yacht Club Games plans to close its office and fully transition to a remote work model.
Yacht Club Games acknowledges that the studio's future hinges on the release of their next game — the platformer Mina the Hollower. A successful recovery depends on the game's popularity, needing to sell between 200,000 to 500,000 copies to regain stability.
Development of Mina the Hollower has been ongoing for almost six years. Studio leaders recall that the game began as a hobby project for one of the designers but gradually became something more significant. The studio even split its entire staff into two teams — one focused on Mina the Hollower, the other on a 3D version of Shovel Knight. However, this approach ultimately did not pay off, and in 2024, Yacht Club Games had to freeze Shovel Knight 3D, prioritizing Mina the Hollower.
Recently, Yacht Club Games postponed the release of Mina the Hollower indefinitely. Initially, the game was set to debut on October 31, but the studio deemed it not ready enough. When the release will now occur remains unknown.