Killbug developer Samurai Punk is shutting down after a decade

Killbug and The American Dream developer Samurai Punk is effectively shutting down after a decade.

The Melbourne-based studio broke the news on X, formerly Twitter, and said it will be entering "support mode" to ensure the continued existence of its projects.

Samurai Punk was unofficially formed by Nicholas McDonnell and Winston Tang after they worked together on a project called Samurai XX at Global Game Jam 2013.

The duo continued to collaborate on jam creations like Frowntown and Bear Attack before officially establishing Samurai Punk in 2014 ahead of the release of Hazumino in 2014.

An "amazing run" for Samurai Punk

"It's been an amazing run and we'd like to thank our team past and present; the 9 incredible games we've made wouldn't have been possible without them. It can not be overstated how talented everyone who came through our doors is and we wish them all the best with their own journeys in the industry," reads a company statement penned by McDonnell and Tang. 

"Samurai Punk started in 2014 during a situation in Australia where jobs were short and the only route forward for us was to either found a company or move overseas to find work. We banded together with the shared goal of creating exciting and fresh game experiences, and we're incredibly proud of what we achieved together." 

The co-founders noted the entire Samurai Punk team will now be looking for new roles, and encouraged anybody who knows of any openings to reach out. It's unclear why Samurai Punk is winding down, although McDonnell and Tang indicated the decision was partly motivated by a desire to take on new challenges.

"We've grown a lot as developers and learnt a lot about what we want as artists making video games," they added. "This introspection has led us to the conclusion that it's the right time for us to part ways and embark on new adventures."