Indie developer Studio Thunderhorse closes after more than a decade

Indie developer Studio Thunderhorse is closing after over a decade of making games. Taking to X, the three-person studio shared a letter stating that the trio had to make “the difficult decision” for the “long-term health of the team and the studio.”

Founded in 2015, the California-based studio specialized in 2D games inspired by the ‘90s. In its first year, Studio Thunderhorse brought acclaimed endless runner Samurai Blitz and one-tap adventure Racoon Rascals to mobile before releasing 2021 console action RPG Flynn: Son of Crimson.

The studio had been working on a colorful retro-inspired console follow-up to Samurai Blitz called Ronin Rush, which has now presumably been canceled.

Lightning in a saddle

The news follows a difficult couple of years for the games industry, with layoffs and studio closures now a weekly occurrence. While many layoffs and closures have hit the AAA space, Studio Thunderhorse’s demise highlights that these turbulent times can affect developers of all sizes.