Tier One: Direct Action, a tactical VR shooter aiming to serve as a spiritual successor to Onward, is currently facing financial difficulties and significant team departures. Developed by Niorun Studios, this project was initially unveiled in August with a strong emphasis on teamwork, strategy, and “authentic” military mechanics. After successfully gathering nearly $50,000 via Kickstarter, the game entered early access on Quest in February.
However, the road hasn’t been smooth. Recently, the studio announced that Tier One: Direct Action is temporarily unavailable on the Horizon Store. A community manager indicated, “this is an issue with Meta and should hopefully be resolved soon.” Furthermore, a representative from Niorun Studios expressed regret in a subsequent message, explaining, “due to a policy change we unfortunately missed to provide the admin work for – amidst everything else,” assuring players that the team is “working to restore beta access as soon as possible.”
Early Access Feedback and Community Concerns
In light of growing concerns, Niorun’s representative categorized the current early access version as a “prototype,” aimed at showcasing community support and excitement to investors and partners. Nonetheless, the response to the early access launch in February was below expectations.
Unfortunately, community feedback and engagement fell short of hopes. Many voiced a wish for continued development, but the actual backing didn’t mirror this sentiment, highlighting a significant risk in such a competitive market. Consequently, the studio struggled to secure the funding necessary to advance as envisioned. While this news may be disheartening for some players, it has been even more challenging for the team.
Niorun Studios’ Plans and Challenges
Niorun Studios remains optimistic and appreciative of its Kickstarter backers, stating that restructuring efforts are in progress. The team is “actively exploring ways to keep the project alive and move forward.” They reassured fans that the game is “not technically dead,” although its development is no longer aligned with the original roadmap.
Previous signs of trouble had surfaced as well. Last month, the studio’s X account was deleted, and the YouTube channel was also removed. On April 24, when UploadVR reached out to co-founder Angelika Reich, an automated response indicated she had departed from Niorun Studios. A follow-up via the developer’s official website proved unsuccessful, and that site is currently down.
Departures and Company Status
We have attempted to contact co-founder and CEO Murat Özçelik for clarification on the removals of social media accounts and the company website. The personnel issues extend beyond Reich; reports from Gamertag VR indicate a drastic reduction in the studio’s workforce, with estimates suggesting a 69% decrease over the past six months. Various former employees have updated their LinkedIn profiles, indicating they have left the company, while two current staff members are “open to work.” It’s notable that not all those who departed were laid off; some secured new roles shortly after leaving Niorun.
Community Reaction
One individual expressed their views about the situation on social media, stating: “Turns out I was right about Tier One. Only took me an hour of playing too. Website is gone, team gone and Kickstarter money gone too.”
“Turns out I was right about Tier One. Only took me an hour of playing too. Website is gone, team gone and Kickstarter money gone too.”
GAMERTAG VR
We will keep an eye on this developing situation and provide updates as new information becomes available.