Microsoft Never Canceled the Ryse Series, Work Just Stopped

In a new interview, former Crytek employees revealed that the Ryse sequels were never formally canceled by Microsoft.

In a conversation with IGN, former Crytek employees who wish to remain anonymous revealed several details about the Ryse series, including plans for future projects, settings they were considering, and other details. However, the devs also revealed how work on these future projects eventually stopped.

Microsoft Tried to Acquire Ryse’s IP

The report reveals that when Ryse was pitched as a franchise, the response Crytek received from Microsoft was that this was “the most cohesive and well-thought IP pitch they had ever seen.” Ryse sequels were never formally canceled either, the employee revealed; however, when the original game failed to make a mark critically or commercially, work on the other games stopped. It is worth noting that developers had to cut a lot of content from the original game to meet the launch deadline.

Now, work on other Ryse projects just isn’t happening, as Crytek has refused to sell the IP to Microsoft, and the XBOX maker doesn’t want to finance a franchise whose rights it doesn’t own. Additionally, Crytek doesn’t want to work on projects owned by someone else. Hence, we are not getting any new Ryse projects.

Ryse: Son of Rome was released for the XBOX One as a launch title, and though it wasn’t able to make a mark on the masses, it has been able to develop a cult following over the years.

What are your thoughts on the work stopping on the Ryse series without it being formally canceled? Leave your thoughts down in the comments, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.

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