Bloody Hell, NetEase! We Almost Had a Seriously Spooky 'Stranger Things'-esque Gem with *The Midnight Riders*
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
NetEase has unfortunately canceled *The Midnight Riders*, a 'Stranger Things'-esque retro sci-fi adventure from Bad Brain Game Studios that looked incredibly promising, with the studio itself now facing closure. Despite this setback, the game's IP is still available for acquisition, offering a glimmer of hope that this potential gem might find a new home.
Alright, mate, gather 'round, because I've got some news that's a proper gut-punch, especially if you, like me, still harbour dreams of 80s nostalgia mixed with existential dread. Apparently, NetEase, in its infinite wisdom (and presumably, some fairly brutal 'cost-cutting measures'), decided to pull the plug on Bad Brain Game Studios and their truly promising title, codenamed *The Midnight Riders*. Talk about a wizard's spell gone wrong, eh?
This isn't just any cancellation, mind you. According to a LinkedIn post from Bad Brain head Sean Crooks, not only is the game shelved, but the studio itself is shutting its doors on November 17th. It's a genuinely sad turn of events, especially when you consider the sheer potential oozing from the five-minute sizzle reel Crooks released – a last-ditch effort, one reckons, to catch the eye of a benevolent publisher or investor. And fair dinkum, it absolutely works.
Imagine *Stranger Things* having a secret love child with Stephen King's *It*, all wrapped up in a glorious, neon-drenched 80s aesthetic. That’s *The Midnight Riders* in a nutshell. You play as Josh, a young lad in a town plagued by missing children. His mission? Solving the disappearances, which, as the trailer hints, involve nightmares coming to horrifying life. We're talking Blockbuster-esque rental stores (complete with a hilarious excuse for not rewinding!), trading mix tapes, bike rides through suburbia, and a walkie-talkie precariously dangling from a backpack. It’s pure, unadulterated 80s vibes, building a world that just screams 'adventure' and 'impending doom.'
But then, things get proper spooky. Josh and his mate Jesse find themselves navigating a nightmare version of their school, overrun with spidery, facehugger-like creatures straight out of some eldritch Contra level called *Uni-Corps*. There's a strange castle that's popped up out of nowhere, tall lanky monsters from a fictional film called *Hive*, and our plucky protagonists aren't just running scared. Oh no, mate. Josh comes armed with a baseball bat, and Jesse's got a petrol-filled water gun, ready to douse nasties before Josh finishes them off with a slingshot and a lit cherry bomb. Talk about clever combat! And the quest log? It's Josh’s school notebook, detailing shared nightmares and tasks like prepping for the next one. Ingenious, right?
It’s a crying shame that such a creatively rich project has hit the wall. You've gotta wonder about these 'cost-cutting measures' when something this promising gets axed. But here's where my wizarding tea leaves start to swirl with a hint of optimism: Crooks mentioned that NetEase and Bad Brain are open to selling the IP. The game and its underlying world are *available for acquisition or partnership*.
So, if there's any publishing wizard out there with a spare bit of magic dust – and perhaps a hefty investment coffer – looking for a project with serious *oomph*, this might just be your golden ticket. We truly believe in the magic that was being brewed here, and it'd be an absolute tragedy if *The Midnight Riders* never saw the light of day, or rather, the eerie glow of an arcade cabinet. Fingers crossed, eh?
*Original scoop by Claire Lewis over at Polygon. Cheers for the intel!*
Tags: Game Cancellation, NetEase, Bad Brain Game Studios, Retro Gaming, Indie Development
Original article: Polygon