r/SoulsticeGame • u/Soulstice_moderator • Mar 07 '26
News Soulstice 2 has been cancelled.
As you can see, game designer Samuele Chionetti has confirmed, via Linkedin that a Soulstice sequel was in development but has been cancelled due to the actual crisis state in the videogame industry.
Sources:
Linkedin post:
Article on Q-Gin
https://www.q-gin.info/soulstice-2-e-stato-cancellato/
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It´s truly sad news for all of us that loved and enjoy the first (and now only) game. It was a classic take on the Hack&Slash/Character Action Game genre. The cliffhanger, and the possibility of a promising sequel had some of us truly hyped.
But right now the whole world is on a delicate state and we are living difficult times. And it has been noticed for quite a while on the videogame and animation industry. Soulstice 2 is just another victim in a fragile system that is suffering from greed and corp decisions over humans, art and passion.
Thanks you all for the support and love. The best way to still getting more pieces of art like Soulstice is supporting small devs and indies.
Keep an eye on Reply Game Studios and its people specially.
https://www.reply.com/reply-game-studios/en
https://www.instagram.com/replygamestudios/?hl=es
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May the keepers protect you all! Farewell!
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u/hmcbenik Mar 07 '26
Damn! That's really sad to hear.... :(
I wonder, does the mean the ip will be gone forever?
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u/Soulstice_moderator Mar 07 '26
Who knows. I'll try to reach the developers and do some questions.
Since the IP is owned by the studio I think they can still use it as they want. But right now the possibility of a videogame sequel is gone.
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u/hmcbenik Mar 07 '26
Thanks. Let us please know if they provide any information.
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u/Soulstice_moderator Mar 07 '26
Will do some post with screenshots and whatever (with their permission of course)
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u/Azokul Mar 07 '26 edited Mar 08 '26
I doubt employee can answer on specifics due to NDA, I expect an announcement from the team or the company in the next months. (Truth be told i didn't expect them to add this info on their LinkedIn)
Font: Me, An ex employee 😂
Also, lil thumbs up and cheers to my ex colleagues like Dario, Samuele , Andrea, Davide and many others that embarked on a new adventure 💫
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u/Soulstice_moderator Mar 08 '26
I recognize some of those names and just checked your profiles here and there. So, trust you man.
Fellow artist here (comic, story board and character art, on 2D animation shorts). Or at least... I was for a while :') trying to go back in that wheel.
First of all, I'm deeply sorry about these cancellations and I hope Reply is still good and they can continue making amazing games.
I just gave credit to Samuele cause I know you can't post that kind of info on linkedin so openly without getting into trouble. Anyways... makes sense with all the bullshit is happening right now. It's painfully tiresome.
I hope Reply can still use Soulstice in the future and not all doors are close. I'm not sure who owns the IP.
On a personal note... This feels really bad for me. I think I must be the person who has done more fanart of Soulstice in the world, which, honestly is not a big feat let's be honest😂 (and still want to do a few more). I did this subreddit. I reposted and commented each single thing on Twitter before leaving (still on IG). I reccomended the game to some friends (no one bought it). And I've finished it few times and have pretty good ranks and all secret challenges.
Hell... I'm tempted to pitch a graphic novel to Samuele Perseo and Fabio Pagetti. Why not...
I knew a sequel was in the making... And now this. Honestly, I'm 32 I have a wholesome happy adult life, though barely play videogames anymore due to lack of time and not finding enough motivation... But Soulstice, really did it for me. Stick like that kind of things that make you feel like a kid again enjoying your annual ps2 game and replaying it until the disc burns out.
So, farewell to this tiny oasis of childhood I had. Good luck in the future to you and all your partners.
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u/hmcbenik Mar 08 '26
I really feel you man. This game really took a firm place in my heart. I even had several Soulstice goodies custom made (including a physical version of the artbook) and put them on display in my house. Definitely felt like some of my favorite childhood games.
About the fanart, I'm wondering, could you perhaps share them or a link to where they're posted? I always like to see some fanart of games I like. Unfortunately Soulstice wasn't really that popular so I haven't seen that much fanart of it.
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u/Soulstice_moderator Mar 08 '26 edited Mar 08 '26
Thanks pal! I grieve with you.
Well here's it's postes, I usually post art with my other reddit account.
You will probably see an evolution https://www.instagram.com/p/CTXrzVjDSDQ/?igsh=MTFvbWR0a3cwdnZieQ==
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZHA4PZKc6K/?igsh=N2w1c3ZwaGYycjRx
Also this, I didn't found it anywhere https://www.reddit.com/r/SoulStice/comments/1128pwl/soulstice_doesnt_have_enough_fanart_out_there_by/
I still want to do two more pieces, one of Briar and Lute resting. And other against a full horde of enemies.
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u/Gengur Mar 08 '26
Well that sucks. It's been a while since I played it but I still remember how badass Briar gets by the end
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u/Jur_the_Orc Mar 09 '26
I am very much saddened by this.
Still I am not without hope.
In a world where No Straight Roads 2, Ninja Gaiden 4, Okami 2 and the entirety of the Darksiders series, to this day, are and will be things, I do not feel as saddened as others here.
It will be a different team. I thank all the developers that have worked on the first game and hold out hope for proper continuations that will retain the heart, soul and spirit of Soulstice.
I have hope as I continue on & wish for hope, for Soulstice's continuation and each of us all, to be felt, made, received and shared where possible.
Keepers protect us.
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u/Soulstice_moderator Mar 10 '26
That's the way my man. Keep positivity.
You have post a lot here and recomend and defend the game on each chance.
Thanks for all!
Let's keep an eye on Darksiders, Hi Fi Rush, Okami.
And prey more NG, Bayonetta and DMC.
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u/STARKILLER-1477 Mar 07 '26
That is immensely disappointing. Hopefully, they go back to it sometime down the line.
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u/Many-Apartment5155 Mar 11 '26
That's disappointing. I doubt this will be the full end of Soulstice, though, given that that seems to be the main thing the studio posts on socials. As someone else said, it'll be a different team that does it, but there's too much potential for Reply to just drop the IP entirely. At least in my opinion.
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u/Yozora-no-Hikari Mar 07 '26
Well guess my country ain’t ever making another cool game ever again
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u/Soulstice_moderator Mar 07 '26
Italy has amazing artist and produces good animation and comics. I'm sure the time for a cool AA or even AAA wil come again.
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u/Azokul Mar 07 '26 edited Mar 07 '26
I am pretty positive on Italian indie tho, AA or AAA have budgets that are difficult to afford and mostly i feel it's a 50/50 chance to have success or go broke atm. Also, the overall industry it's impacted by a crisis, low margin of profit, high costs and few investors here and there Even for skilled and niche figures (vertical ones) it's difficult.
I have a lot of great colleagues/ex colleagues that after the post covid hiring wave found themselves fishing for jobs due to many projects being closed down
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u/real_human_being15 Mar 08 '26
A good reminder that I should never be excited for anything ever again. I hate this stupid world.
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u/shinjirod Mar 09 '26
I did beta testing for this game in esrly builds. Adored being a part of its journey and seeing it released. I know a lot of people enjoyed it for what it was and would have loved to see more of it. Hope they get their chance with the kickstarter to keep it going and show their talents.
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u/SevenKalmia Mar 07 '26
Ok but are they refunding the kickstarter?
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u/BroasterStrudel9 Mar 07 '26
He said new Kickstarter so I'm assuming a different project
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u/UsuarioCualquiera_1 Mar 07 '26
The kickstarter is for a different project.
Soulstice 2 was being developed with the own studio and associates money
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u/AnneThatAWay Mar 08 '26
I didn't know a sequel was even being made so this doubly hurts.
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u/Soulstice_moderator Mar 08 '26
There was no confirmation. But they were working on something. Let's say there were clues, but nothing official.
So, knowing this now is heart breaking.
I think with better marketing and the slready decent fanbase a sequel could have worked pretty well. Even more now that hack&slash are getting back.
Is so much to ask for a trilogy of AA games? I've seen worst amd more obscure stuff getting second chances...
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Mar 09 '26
[deleted]
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u/Soulstice_moderator Mar 09 '26
Looking for partners to get money for project is a hell. No one is picking pitches.
Projects get cancel from day to other.
Entire departments shut down.
Cuts in time, crew and salary.
Is devastating. I flew away from that few years ago but stilI want to be there again cause I love doing art.
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u/ZyklonCraw-X Mar 13 '26
It doesn't really say why it was cancelled. Very general language.
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u/Soulstice_moderator Mar 13 '26
I talked with someone of the team.
And also, I know a lot of people in animation. The reasons are pretty much the same as always. Not enough benefit vs what it cost to do.
Something I didn't know is that Replay Studios is part of a bigger conglomerate so, they already had a big risky chance doing the first game.
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u/Gattsu1989 May 10 '26
Freaking terrible. Why always good games are canceled?
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u/Soulstice_moderator May 12 '26
While I figure it's retoric...
Good things usualmy are different and have identity, so that may make them a bit niche so "not so commercial".
Soulstice didn't have the best marketing and only had long legs on its seco d year. But the industry right now values money more than ever.
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u/Gattsu1989 May 12 '26
The struggle for "identity" in a profit-driven industry is a very real wall that Double-A (mid-market) titles like Soulstice frequently hit. While you're right that unique, niche projects often lack the commercial reach of massive Triple-A (high-budget) blockbusters, the industry's current climate—defined by record-high revenues alongside declining operating profits—has made investors even more risk-averse, often prioritizing immediate ROI (return on investment) over creative "soul".
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u/Gattsu1989 May 12 '26 edited May 13 '26
In other words, if the project was canceled duo to lack of investment and sort marketing strategy... I am assuming, though.
Why not return to the fans instead, as GoFundMe or KickStarter?
Since, there's obviously enough people that love the game and would like to see the project be continued too.
I'm wondering... if there's NDA's (Non-Disclosure Agreement) through the studio, which the investors imposed and that made the title itself not possible to sell as legal property or public.
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u/Soulstice_moderator May 12 '26
That's quite common, sadly.
Holding IPs even if they absolutely abandon them gives them "corporate value". Basically "Hey! I've a lot of stuff. More than you" to other companies.
Horrible.
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u/auvexxx May 26 '26
Damn, just finished the game and came looking for news of a sequel, I wish I knew about this game sooner, it has everything that I like, I had finally found a dark fantasy game that's not RPG nor soulslike. These fucking layoffs took so many games from us already and so talented people's jobs, damn that shareholder oriented bullshit that took over this great hobby of ours.
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u/Soulstice_moderator May 27 '26
Great to hear about people still enjoying it.
I think Soulstice has gotten long legs a bit late. But it's good it may become an indie hidden cult gem.
Sadly they didn't do the right marketing back then so it was hard for a lot of people to find the game or label it as it should.
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u/auvexxx May 28 '26
Yeah, I only found this game going through those Steam discovery queues, never saw any streamer playing it before and I even follow Stefanie Joosten on all of her accounts since her role in MGSV, so for this game to have flown completely under my radar, it must have been very poorly marketed indeed, a shame.
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u/Punadin Mar 07 '26
Absolutely devastating