Update: A new X post by NDUS co-founder OldGinger has made it clear that the current version of Xociety has been halted. If the company can secure new funding, it will instead look to build a new console game using the Xociety IP but as a prequel to the current Xociety. It is also considering “a new project related to the indie game ecosystem”, most likely on mobile.
It also seems unlikely these games will use web3 elements, as they will only be used “where they are truly meaningful”.
South Korean web3 game developer Ndus Interactive has announced that it’s pausing active development on its Sui-based PC pop shooter Xociety “due to ongoing profitability issues”.
Despite having raised around $9 million in funding, the only way development will now restart is if the company can find a partner to fund future plans. For that reason, its current focus is determining whether anyone is interested in acquiring the game, the team or other strategic options.
“Despite exploring multiple options, the existing structure has not proven sustainable under current market conditions, and challenges across the web3 gaming space have made continuation in its current form difficult,” it writes.
Of course, the game’s character NFTs and its XO token remain live on Sui, but unless someone is prepared to invest substantial funding, likely millions of dollars, it seems highly unlikely that Xociety can continue in its current form.
Indeed, Ndus suggests that even if it does find a path forward, it will take a different approach with Xociety, considering alternative ways to use or experience the IP, such as smaller-scale or more focused game formats, different platforms, and new use cases for the XO token.