{"id":9740,"date":"2026-09-12T06:24:42","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T22:24:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/polyarc-shuts-down-moss-developer-closure-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T06:24:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T22:24:42","slug":"polyarc-shuts-down-moss-developer-closure-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/polyarc-shuts-down-moss-developer-closure-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Polyarc Shuts Down: The Studio Behind Moss Closes After 12 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

Polyarc, the Seattle-based studio responsible for the beloved Moss VR puzzle-adventure series, has announced it is shutting down. The closure was confirmed on September 11, 2026 \u2014 just months after the release of Moss: The Forgotten Relic<\/em>, the studio’s first non-VR title. For fans who only just discovered Quill outside of a headset, the news hits particularly hard.<\/p>\n

\n \"Quill
Quill’s journey continues \u2014 even if Polyarc’s does not.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Announcement<\/h2>\n

Polyarc shared the news via LinkedIn on September 11, posting a farewell message that spoke of gratitude rather than bitterness. The full statement read:<\/p>\n

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“After nearly 12 years riding the joyous rollercoaster of emotions that is making video games, our time together has come to an end. As we wind down active development, we are saying our farewells to each other. Working together over all of these years has been an honor. Bringing surprise and delight to those who played our games has been a privilege. Thank you to everyone at Polyarc, our work is now finished.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 Polyarc, via LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n

The closure affects more than 29 staff members. No specific reason for the shutdown has been given, though the broader games industry has faced widespread layoffs and studio closures throughout 2025 and 2026.<\/p>\n

\n \"Quill
The world of Moss: The Forgotten Relic was Polyarc’s most ambitious yet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Who Was Polyarc?<\/h2>\n

Polyarc was founded in 2015 by Tam Armstrong (CEO), Chris Alderson, and Danny Bulla \u2014 a trio of veterans who had previously worked at studios including Bungie and Amazon Game Studios. The company made its name in VR, releasing the original Moss<\/em> in 2018 for PlayStation VR to widespread critical acclaim. The game put players in the role of a giant Reader who guides a tiny mouse hero named Quill through a storybook world of puzzles and combat.<\/p>\n

A sequel, Moss: Book II<\/em>, followed in 2022 \u2014 expanding the lore and environments considerably. Both games were praised for their tactile sense of presence and the emotional bond players formed with Quill.<\/p>\n

Moss: The Forgotten Relic \u2014 A Farewell Gift<\/h2>\n

Released on July 16, 2026<\/strong>, Moss: The Forgotten Relic<\/em> was Polyarc’s most ambitious project: a flat-screen adaptation combining and expanding both Moss games into a single cohesive adventure \u2014 playable without a VR headset for the very first time. It launched on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.<\/p>\n

\n \"Boss
The Forgotten Relic brought VR-calibre boss encounters to flat screens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Check out the official announcement trailer below:<\/p>\n

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