Fresh Bloomberg reporting paints a sobering picture for two high-profile MMO ventures, revealing that both Mike Morhaime’s Dreamhaven and Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street’s Fantastic Pixel Castle are wrestling with significant funding pressure.
An internal Dreamhaven memo obtained by the outlet pegs lifetime sales at 130,000 units for sci-fi extraction shooter Wildgate and a modest 62,000 units for couch co-op Sunderfolk. Morhaime told staff that monthly expenses now exceed revenue and warned that cost-cutting is “urgent” to keep the company alive.
In response, the Wildgate team published a short-term rescue plan this week, promising the removal of premium battle-pass tiers, AI match XP rewards, an upcoming free trial, and a 34 % Steam discount.
Meanwhile, the same report cites sources claiming that NetEase, the primary backer of Fantastic Pixel Castle’s Project Ghost, is weighing additional budget reductions for the unannounced MMORPG that has reportedly burned through a $100 M development envelope. NetEase declined to confirm the exact figure but stated it is engaged in “standard” portfolio reviews and may make “decisions based on progress, viability, and potential success”.
The Chinese publisher has recently cancelled or clawed back funding from multiple western studios, driving the closure of indie Jar of Sparks, Crop Circle Games, and Possibility Space.
Players banking on either Wildgate’s post-launch momentum or the long-teased Project Ghost should expect leaner roadmaps and a sharper eye on monetization in both ecosystems.
