Seeker Entertainment, the game studio started by Riot Games veterans to make a game called KinForge, is halting its production.
In a blog post on LinkedIn, Seeker Entertainment started out saying, “We have some rough news to share regarding KinForge.”
“This is one of the hardest posts I’ve had to share,” said Oksana Kubushyna, CEO of Seeker Entertainment, in her own blog post. “Thank you to everyone who has supported us, believed in us, and reached out during an incredibly difficult time – it means more than I can say.”
She added, “I’m incredibly proud of what our small team at Seeker Entertainment accomplished with KinForge – world-class execution, strong player feedback, and traction that exceeded what most teams our size could hope for.”
The reality is that in today’s funding environment, even great teams and great products aren’t always enough, she said. That’s a dark message for other game startups.
The company added, “Unfortunately, despite a fantastic vertical slice, incredible ratings from playtesters, millions of views on our videos, and tens of thousands of wishlists, Seeker, like way too many other studios, has been impacted by the devastating fundraising environment that’s plagued our industry for the last few years. We managed to extend our initial seed runway by over a year, but are finally at the point where we can’t extend further.”
As a result, the company said production has been paused and employees are being furloughed while Seeker continues to explore fundraising opportunities. Given the industry landscape, though, the company has encouraged everyone to be aggressive with their job hunts.
“This is an incredibly difficult moment. We’ve always held that one of the hardest parts about building a game from scratch is building a cohesive team,” the post said. “Our team, while small, was hand picked from industry veterans that have worked together previously. We clicked early, allowing us to execute far beyond what you’d expect from eight people. They are a deeply talented group and any team would be fortunate to have them.”
Still, the company didn’t bail completely.
The post said, “We remain hopeful about the future of KinForge and are exploring every possible path forward, but we also have to be realistic and our people come first. We are grateful for the support from our community and peers during this time. If you are hiring for positions that would be a good fit, or know someone who is, please reach out to make connections.”
The team also listed those looking for jobs.
“Right now, the focus is simple: taking care of our people. If you’re hiring – or know someone looking for exceptional talent in games, production, engineering, art, design, or marketing – I’d deeply appreciate any introductions,” Kubushyna said.
Scott Shicoff – Design leader with 30+ years shaping iconic franchises including SimCity 3000, Neverwinter, Star Trek Online, Diablo Immortal, and Heroes of the Storm. A veteran creative force across AAA, multiplayer, and live service games.
Jason Roberts – Principal designer with 27+ years across titles like Dragon Age: The Veilguard, EverQuest II, Diablo IV, and StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. Expert in systems, RPG design, and technical implementation.
Joshua Manning – Senior technical artist with over a decade of AAA experience and credits on Overwatch, Diablo III: Reaper of Souls, Diablo III: Rise of the Necromancer, and Diablo IV. Deep expertise in art pipelines, tools, and engine integration.
Denis Korkh – Senior engineer with nearly 20 years spanning art, technical art, graphics, tools, and performance. A rare cross-disciplinary game development generalist.
Michelle K Geng – High-performing producer who rapidly grew from contractor to leadership through exceptional execution, ownership, and passion for games.
Catrina Dennis – Award-winning marketing leader with 10+ years driving campaigns for Disney, Meta, Amazon Prime, and Paramount+. Expert in social, digital strategy, and brand storytelling.