Nerial, Studio Behind Reigns, Ceases Development After 13 Years
Nerial's shutdown leaves a Devolver-owned studio that shipped a Witcher collaboration this year, so the end came after a recent release, not a quiet drought.
Key Facts
- Nerial co-founders Tamara Alliot and François Alliot announced on X that the studio is ceasing development after 13 years.
- Nerial was acquired by Devolver Digital in 2021.
- Nerial's most recent release was Reigns: The Witcher, a collaboration with The Witcher series, on February 26, 2026.
- Reigns holds a Very Positive overall review rating on Steam.
- The announcement says the shutdown "is not the end of game development for us."
Reporting from 2 sources: GameBusiness.jp, Game Spark.
Nerial co-founders Tamara Alliot and François Alliot announced on X that the studio is ending development activities after 13 years. The studio is known for Reigns, a card-based political adventure game where choices determine a kingdom's fate, and the game holds a Very Positive rating across its Steam reviews. Nerial was acquired by Devolver Digital in 2021. Its most recent release was Reigns: The Witcher, a collaboration with The Witcher series, on February 26, 2026. The co-founders said the decision to stop development was made together with Devolver Digital. They looked back on past work, including The Crush House, and thanked people inside and outside the studio, including those who worked with them on a temporary basis. The announcement also said the shutdown "is not the end of game development for us," and that François Alliot's drive to make games remains strong, though he noted they first need to rest.
The shutdown covers the studio's entire brand, not a single title. Nerial's catalog as named in the announcement includes Reigns, the card-based political adventure built around choices that decide a kingdom's fate, and The Crush House. Reigns: The Witcher arrived on February 26, 2026 as a collaboration with The Witcher series. The Steam storefront lists Reigns with a Very Positive overall review rating across all user reviews.
The co-founders described the decision as one made jointly with Devolver Digital, which acquired Nerial in 2021. The statement also looks forward: François Alliot's drive to keep making games is described as unchanged, and the pair write that this cessation "is not the end of game development for us," with a stated need to rest and review what has happened first. Nerial's 13-year run is framed in the announcement as a pause in their own work, not a retirement from the medium.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- GameBusiness.jp “非常に好評”カード政治ADV『Reigns』開発スタジオ「Nerial」が活動停止―13年の歴史に一幕
- Game Spark “非常に好評”カード政治ADV『Reigns』開発スタジオ「Nerial」が活動停止―13年の歴史に一幕