Spanish independent developer Retro Sumus, recognized in the retro gaming community for its ambitious homebrew projects on legacy platforms, has officially announced its dissolution.
The closure was shared earlier today through the studio’s social media channels, marking the end of the team behind Xenocider—the notable rail shooter released for the Sega Dreamcast. Retro Sumus was an active proponent of modern releases for classic gaming systems, bringing new experiences to platforms like the Sega Dreamcast, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, MS-DOS, and Neo Geo.
The studio’s highly-anticipated project, the top-down run and gun shooter Sovietborgs, was unable to secure sufficient crowdfunding, effectively serving as the catalyst for the team's decision to disband. In an official statement, Retro Sumus conveyed appreciation to their supporters, emphasizing that digital copies of Xenocider for Dreamcast are still available for purchase.
However, the studio confirmed that it would not pursue future projects, as the team members have decided to go their separate ways. The decision follows the conclusion of the Sovietborgs Indiegogo campaign, which ended six months ago.
The campaign sought €48,000 to fund development across multiple retro platforms but ultimately fell short of its goal.
Sovietborgs drew inspiration from classic titles like The Chaos Engine, aiming to deliver a fresh run and gun experience for enthusiasts of vintage hardware. In the final week of the campaign, a Retro Sumus spokesperson commented in an email to Time Extension, "We recognize the odds are slim at this stage, but we want to see how far our community can take us." They described the hardships of independent development, noting, "We lacked both a budget and publisher support, relying entirely on our own efforts—often manual and painstaking.
We considered seeking a publishing partner to help fund remaining development, or possibly pausing to reassess and strategize for the future." Although full development on Sovietborgs has ceased, the studio has made a demo available on its official website, offering players an opportunity to try an early build of what was envisioned.
Retro Sumus’ closure marks the end of a passionate effort to keep retro gaming alive through new content for classic systems—a mission that resonated with a dedicated fanbase and contributed to the ongoing vitality of the homebrew scene. For those interested, digital editions of Xenocider remain accessible for the Sega Dreamcast, serving as a lasting legacy of Retro Sumus’ commitment to creative retro game development.
The closure was shared earlier today through the studio’s social media channels, marking the end of the team behind Xenocider—the notable rail shooter released for the Sega Dreamcast. Retro Sumus was an active proponent of modern releases for classic gaming systems, bringing new experiences to platforms like the Sega Dreamcast, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, MS-DOS, and Neo Geo.
The studio’s highly-anticipated project, the top-down run and gun shooter Sovietborgs, was unable to secure sufficient crowdfunding, effectively serving as the catalyst for the team's decision to disband. In an official statement, Retro Sumus conveyed appreciation to their supporters, emphasizing that digital copies of Xenocider for Dreamcast are still available for purchase.
However, the studio confirmed that it would not pursue future projects, as the team members have decided to go their separate ways. The decision follows the conclusion of the Sovietborgs Indiegogo campaign, which ended six months ago.
The campaign sought €48,000 to fund development across multiple retro platforms but ultimately fell short of its goal.
Sovietborgs drew inspiration from classic titles like The Chaos Engine, aiming to deliver a fresh run and gun experience for enthusiasts of vintage hardware. In the final week of the campaign, a Retro Sumus spokesperson commented in an email to Time Extension, "We recognize the odds are slim at this stage, but we want to see how far our community can take us." They described the hardships of independent development, noting, "We lacked both a budget and publisher support, relying entirely on our own efforts—often manual and painstaking.
We considered seeking a publishing partner to help fund remaining development, or possibly pausing to reassess and strategize for the future." Although full development on Sovietborgs has ceased, the studio has made a demo available on its official website, offering players an opportunity to try an early build of what was envisioned.
Retro Sumus’ closure marks the end of a passionate effort to keep retro gaming alive through new content for classic systems—a mission that resonated with a dedicated fanbase and contributed to the ongoing vitality of the homebrew scene. For those interested, digital editions of Xenocider remain accessible for the Sega Dreamcast, serving as a lasting legacy of Retro Sumus’ commitment to creative retro game development.
