Summary
- Bad Guitar Studio issues an apology to Mountaintop Studio for an insensitive comment on Spectre Divide’a closure.
- The studio assured the community that the content “does not reflect our studio’s values or respect for fellow industry peers.”
- FragPunk developer faces backlash for the inappropriate social media response.
FragPunk developer Bad Guitar Studio has issued a public apology to Mountaintop Studio after an insensitive comment was made on social media after the studio announced its closure and the shutdown of its game, Spectre Divide. The tactical shooter had only been on the market since September 2024, and a few reasons contributing to Spectre Divide’s downfall, according to players, include a lack of content, inadequate guns, and an art style that wasn’t to everyone’s taste.
It’s no secret that the video games industry has been rife with layoffs and shutdowns over the past few years, including Warner Bros. Games’ recent decision to cancel the platform fighter MultiVersus. Considering the toll this has taken on the community, developers and industry professionals are usually on hand to offer condolences and support during these difficult times, which is why Bad Guitar Studio’s response was deemed highly inappropriate.
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On March 12, Mountaintop Studios announced the studio and Spectre Divide would be shutting down, highlighting that the tactical shooter’s first season didn’t meet the level of success the team needed to continue supporting the game and keep the studio running. FragPunk’s Twitter account then responded unprofessionally with a Captain America meme, and the studio has since apologized for the reply. In a separate Twitter post, the account highlighted the comment as “insensitive and unprofessional,” and assured the community that the content “does not reflect our studio’s values or respect for fellow industry peers.” To close the matter, the developer noted that the necessary steps had been taken to ensure it didn’t happen again.
Naturally, gamers didn’t take too kindly to Bad Guitar Studio after the social media comments, piggybacking on FragPunk’s controversial microtransactions that were too aggressive for most. Some users claimed they were uninstalling FragPunk after becoming aware of the situation, and the now-deleted reply made its rounds in the comments section for all to see. However, several fans accepted the developer’s apology and noted that respect was given for admitting fault on the poster’s behalf, but they thought the event would follow the team around for some time.
Since Bad Guitar Studio released FragPunk under publisher NetEase, gamers are concerned the hero shooter may be next in the firing line considering the Chinese company’s recent layoff of employees working on Marvel Rivals. FragPunk soared to a strong start on Steam after releasing at the beginning of March 2025, raking in nearly 114,000 concurrent players within days of its release and achieving sixth place in the platform’s Top Seller list.
- Released
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September 3, 2024
- Developer(s)
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Mountaintop Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Mountaintop Studios