Wanderstop Creators' Studio Failed to Secure Funding and Will Soon Close
The independent studio Ivy Road, where one of the creators of The Stanley Parable, Davey Wreden, works, is winding down. The team says the company will cease to exist on March 31.
On the Ivy Road site — as stated — they chased funding and a publisher contract for their second project, Engine Angel, but the deal never closed. In their words: "These are tough times to seek investments in games, so we’re not too surprised. But we’re very sorry that Engine Angel will never see the light of day." It’s a blunt, disappointing note; feels like a missed chapter.
Their lone release, the tea-shop sim Wanderstop, arrived in March 2025 and did well with players and critics — w/ an 80 on Metacritic and 92% positive on Steam. That reception didn’t translate into the long-term runway they needed, though.
Besides Wreden, contributors included Karla Zimonja (one of the creators of Gone Home), Daniel 'C418' Rosenfeld (the composer of Minecraft), and a handful of others who lent time and talent to Wanderstop.
There’s one last effort underway: a "final surprise" the team has been developing for about a year, intended to help Wanderstop reach new players. The update will be announced later by the publisher, Annapurna Interactive — so, for anyone who enjoyed the game, keep an eye out.