The gaming world has been riding a pretty rough wave for the last few years, with a seemingly endless string of layoffs and studios turning off their lights for good. And just when you think it might let up, another bomb drops. This time, it’s Ready at Dawn Studios’ turn.

The studio is known for cranking out The Order: 1886, not to mention old-school favs like God of War for the PSP (Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta), has been closed down by its parent company Meta, just four years after being acquired.

Meta had originally acquired Ready at Dawn for its exceptional VR development skills, highlighted by the success of Echo VR and Lone Echo. Despite these accomplishments, Meta has decided to close the studio as part of an effort to adhere to new budgetary limits, aiming to ensure Oculus Studios can continue to make a meaningful impact on VR development over the long term.

A Meta spokesperson explained to Android Central that the decision to shut down the studio was not about cutting costs but was instead focused on realigning resources for sustained success in VR. Meta has stated that the closure of Ready at Dawn does not indicate broader cuts within the company and assured that the volume of first-party games for Meta Quest systems will remain unchanged. The parent company has also reaffirmed its commitment to advancing VR development, despite the unfortunate closure of one of its most promising studios.

Since joining Oculus Studios in June 2020, shortly after the release of Echo VR on the Oculus Quest, Ready at Dawn made significant contributions to Meta’s VR portfolio. Meta has expressed its intent to retain as much of Ready at Dawn’s talent as possible, encouraging the studio’s employees to seek positions elsewhere within Oculus Studios.