Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
Don't miss these
James holds the Alice stuffie in concept art by Jean Walter
Adventure Games Alice Madness Returns creator American McGee is making a spiritual successor, and he's not worried about EA
Key art for Highguard showing Kai riding a bear, Atticus with the Shieldbreaker, and Scarlet, crouched, aiming down sights
FPS Games With 1 week to live, Highguard is going out kicking with a final update as devs thank "everyone who has played" the FPS
Don Lee on the phone in a dimly lit bar in the debut trailer for Gang of Dragon.
Yakuza Like A Dragon Marvel Rivals publisher reportedly cuts funding for Yakuza co-creator's studio 3 months after debuting its first game
A character in Terraria dressed in armour and holding a torch
Survival Games I can't even make jokes about Terraria's final update anymore when the devs are already teasing "long requested items"
Upcoming PC games for 2026 showing Leon Kennedy in Resident Evil Requiem, marines in Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4, Coen in The Blood of Dawnwalker, and a woman's face in Control Resonant
PC Gaming Upcoming PC games: New PC games for 2026 and beyond
games like Resident Evil - Bioshock
Games Ex-Square Enix exec says "every AAA single player game since Bioshock" is the same, while Roblox evolves "like Tiktok"
Upcoming indie games for 2026 showing images from Mixtape, Toem 2, Find your Words, and Grave Seasons
Games Upcoming indie games for 2026 and beyond
Balatro Joker card
Roguelike Games Balatro's big 1.1 update is still coming, LocalThunk says: "Last night I stayed up until the early hours of the morning"
Load screen artwork for Atticus in Highguard, leaping in front of clouds with a charged lightning spear
FPS Games Games like Highguard are just "gambling by investors" who "know ahead of time a flop is likely," says indie legend
Snacktorio
Simulation Games A dev made their own Factorio about feeding a monster instead of growing a factory, and its Steam demo is very clever
Slay the Spire 2
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2's impending release scares another roguelike deckbuilder into a delay: "Everyone will be playing it"
Highguard character in leather armor holding a rifle
FPS Games Highguard lead says "everyone has their thoughts on why the game failed to find an audience," but "many are way off"
The key art for the Blue Prince showing a doorway on a blue wall, which is open to reveal several more rooms within its frame, a person deep within opening another door several layers deep to a bright white light
Puzzle Games Blue Prince creator couldn't "physically" make another game as "ambitious" as his 2025 puzzle hit
Esoteric Ebb cleric in a pile of apples
RPGs RPG dev of "Planescape Torment + Disco Elysium" spent 8 years struggling to pay rent and writing over 1 million words
Peak screenshot showing two characters holding umbrellas in the desert
Co-op Games Peak will get its final biome this year and a couple of updates "that address some commonly requested features"
  1. Games
  2. Puzzle

Acclaimed puzzle game studio Zachtronics will release its final game next month

News
By Anne-Marie Ostler published 24 June 2022

The studio produced hits including Opus Magnum and SpaceChem

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Opus Magnum
(Image credit: Zachtronics)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Popular indie developer Zachtronics will release what will be its final new game next month.

In an interview with Kotaku, the studio's founder Zach Barth said, "We're wrapping things up!" Before the studio closes its doors for good, it has two final projects in the works: a new game that's aptly named Last Call BBS, launching on July 5, and a collection of its various solitaire games, set to release before the end of the year.  

"After that, the team will disband," says Barth. "We all have different ideas, interests, tolerances for risk, and so on, so we're still figuring out what we want to do next." Rather than a decision that's been forced upon it, this is something that the developer is doing on its own terms, which Barth says "feels pretty good".

You may like
  • Two characters passionately kiss in the canceled life sim Burbank XCOM boss Jake Solomon shares AI-powered build of The Sims meets The Truman Show "before we close the doors"
  • The key art for the Blue Prince showing a doorway on a blue wall, which is open to reveal several more rooms within its frame, a person deep within opening another door several layers deep to a bright white light Blue Prince creator couldn't "physically" make another game as "ambitious" as his 2025 puzzle hit
  • Don Lee on the phone in a dimly lit bar in the debut trailer for Gang of Dragon. Marvel Rivals publisher reportedly cuts funding for Yakuza co-creator's studio 3 months after debuting its first game

Barth founded Zachtronics in 2000 and the studio built a reputation for itself with acclaimed puzzle games such as TIS-100 and SpaceChem. While most of Zachtronics' back catalogue consists of puzzlers, it's occasionally delved into other genres. 2013 saw the release of the strategy title Ironclad Tactics, and one of its more recent offerings is a visual novel called Eliza. 

This isn't the first time Zachtronics has shut down. Back in 2015, the developer closed its doors when Barth went to work for Valve for ten months. "It gave us an opportunity to cash out some of our equity, re-engage with the rest of the games industry, and rebuild from scratch," says Barth. But he doesn't seem to think that history will repeat itself, adding, "I'm not saying the same thing is going to happen here because we really are shutting down Zachtronics." 

As for the reason behind the closure, Barth explains that he and the team felt that it was time for a change. "While we got very good at making 'Zachtronics games' over the last twelve years, it was hard for us to make anything else." Following the news of the studio's closure, fans have been showing their appreciation for the developer's efforts. "Since we announced that Last Call BBS is going to be our last game, I've gotten countless emails from fans thanking us for the games we've made". 

Farewell, Zachtronics. You will be missed.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Check out all the new games for 2022 and beyond to add to your wishlist now. 

CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Anne-Marie Ostler
Anne-Marie Ostler
Social Links Navigation
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.

Read more
Two characters passionately kiss in the canceled life sim Burbank
XCOM boss Jake Solomon shares AI-powered build of The Sims meets The Truman Show "before we close the doors"
 
 
Don Lee on the phone in a dimly lit bar in the debut trailer for Gang of Dragon.
Marvel Rivals publisher reportedly cuts funding for Yakuza co-creator's studio 3 months after debuting its first game
 
 
The key art for the Blue Prince showing a doorway on a blue wall, which is open to reveal several more rooms within its frame, a person deep within opening another door several layers deep to a bright white light
Blue Prince creator couldn't "physically" make another game as "ambitious" as his 2025 puzzle hit
 
 
Root box, board, tokens, and cards on a wooden table
Root designer leaves to create his own studio, and he's taking two beloved board game franchises with him
 
 
Two players outside a house with a dragon during the upcoming PS5 game, FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time.
After 16 rocky years and a terrible attempt to crowdfund a Mega Man successor, troubled Japanese studio shuts down
 
 
Schedule 1 reveal trailer screenshot shows a man in a black suit and hat.
After dominating 2025 with indie drug dealing sim Schedule 1, developer is looking to expand
 
 
Latest in Puzzle
The key art for the Blue Prince showing a doorway on a blue wall, which is open to reveal several more rooms within its frame, a person deep within opening another door several layers deep to a bright white light
Blue Prince creator couldn't "physically" make another game as "ambitious" as his 2025 puzzle hit
 
 
All Living Things
"I've met a beautiful woman": After nearly 1 year, indie dev shares good news about why their puzzle game is delayed
 
 
TR-49 screenshot showcasing the archive machine and some text as well as the dial to the side
I'm in my happy place: a dark basement digging through a computer archive that may or may not be alive
 
 
After Hours character up close
Dev says his puzzle game is suffering on Steam because young people "don't know how to write emails anymore"
 
 
Pikmin
PS5 architect Mark Cerny had a "transformative" experience playing Pikmin on the Nintendo GameCube: "I'm a sucker when it comes to story"
 
 
Super Mario Odyssey
Nintendo sent a crack team of unimaginably talented developers including Shigeru Miyamoto to the Mario's Picross studio to "personally" teach the plumber's aura
 
 
Latest in News
Battlefield 6
Battlefield 6 designers say developers have a "responsibility" to make games intuitive
 
 
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Gustave winces
"The first track spoils the whole game": Clair Obscur Expedition 33 dev confirms it was filling your ears with spoilers
 
 
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead Gustave faces a gommage
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 took inspiration from a surprising anime - Soul Eater creator's Fire Force
 
 
A close-up of Grace talking with someone through glass in Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Requiem leads let actors re-do "technically" perfect scenes if it made them happy, says Grace actor
 
 
Kratos approaches Aphrodite's bedchamber in God of War 3
"The God of War sex mini-games were designed by women," which is why Aphrodite's bed looks "like a labia"
 
 
Alan Ritchson in Reacher season 3
Reacher star Alan Ritchson says season 4 is coming this year: "It's by far the best season we've had yet"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Battlefield 6
    1
    "The fundamentals of FPS should drive our decision": Battlefield 6 designers say developers have a "responsibility" to make games intuitive
  2. 2
    "The first track spoils the whole game": Clair Obscur Expedition 33 devs confirm they were filling your ears with spoilers the entire time
  3. 3
    The Super Mario Galaxy Movie reveals Donald Glover as the voice of Yoshi and more new casting in a star-spanning trailer that sends the entire Mushroom Kingdom to another planet
  4. 4
    Reacher star Alan Ritchson says season 4 is coming this year: "It's by far the best season we've had yet"
  5. 5
    Clair Obscur Expedition 33 took inspiration from a surprising anime - Soul Eater creator's Fire Force: "Because it was a JRPG, we tried to find a mix"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...