Perelesoq, a Russian game studio, faced a rough period after releasing Torn Away. The project, set against the backdrop of World War II, struggled to convert interest into sales despite high praise from critics and players alike, according to reporting from DTF and similar outlets.
Released on Steam and VK Play, Torn Away arrived in late September 2023. Over the first two months on both storefronts, sales remained modest, with only a few thousand copies moved. The studio had anticipated stronger momentum, aiming for a better-than-average conversion given a wishlist count that suggested substantial fan interest. In practice, conversion hovered around a modest percentage, lagging behind optimistic projections.
Artem Koblov, founder and creative director of Perelesoq, described the period as painful for a small team that had invested substantial time and money into the project. After the tepid performance, the main investor halted further funding, placing the studio’s next project on ice. Since Torn Away required ongoing support, the team found itself in a difficult stall, managing ongoing maintenance while waiting for potential future momentum.
Koblov has hesitated to attribute the outcome to a single cause, pointing instead to a mix of factors that could have dampened enthusiasm. He mentioned fatigue among players regarding military settings, possible issues with payment system accessibility for certain regions, and a limited marketing budget. Despite these headwinds, the creator remains hopeful that Torn Away will still reach its audience and achieve a path to profitability as the game continues its life cycle across platforms.
Torn Away is an adventure experience in which players guide a young girl named Sonya as she navigates survival in a Nazi-occupied Polish landscape. The game earned an encouraging standing on Metacritic and grew a reputation for positive player feedback on its store page, indicating a favorable perception among critics and community members who engaged with the title.
Earlier previews teased a sequel concept tied to another major project from the studio, signaling intentions to expand the universe while continuing to explore gameplay ideas that resonated with players who enjoyed the tone and storytelling of Torn Away (source attribution: DTF). Note: all ongoing developments remain subject to funding and market dynamics that influence strategy for independent studios.