Midnight Society, the game studio co-founded by popular streamer Guy 'Dr. Disrespect' Beahm, has announced the closure of its operations and the cancellation of its highly anticipated FPS game, Deadrop. In a post on X, the studio shared, "Today we are announcing Midnight Society will be closing its doors after three incredible years, with an amazing team of over 55 developers." They also reached out to the gaming community, asking if any studios are hiring and could offer employment opportunities to their talented team members.
Midnight Society was established by Beahm alongside industry veterans Robert Bowling and Quinn Delhyo, known for their work on games like Call of Duty and Halo. Their debut project, Deadrop, was designed to be a free-to-play FPS that would leverage the team's extensive experience in the genre. Originally slated for a 2024 release, the game unfortunately missed its target date.
The studio parted ways with Beahm in 2024 following revelations that the streamer had engaged in inappropriate messaging with a minor via Twitch's Whispers feature. Despite this split, Midnight Society continued to work on Deadrop until deciding to shut down this year.
Deadrop was set in a unique fictional universe where "the 80s never ended," featuring characters with Daft Punk-inspired helmets and a mix of futuristic and retro weaponry. The gameplay was planned to be a PvPvE style extraction shooter, blending competitive and cooperative elements.
The closure of Midnight Society adds to the growing list of game studios facing closure or layoffs during a challenging period for the gaming industry. This wave of difficulties has also affected well-known companies such as Ubisoft, BioWare, Phoenix Labs, and many others, highlighting the tough economic climate within the sector.