Shadowrun and BattleTech's beloved strategy studio teases first new game after finding independence and suffering mass layoffs in 2023

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Harebrained Schemes split from publisher Paradox Interactive after its 2023 strategy game flopped

The Lamplighters League
(Image credit: Paradox Interactive)

Harebrained Schemes, the acclaimed studio behind strategy hits BattleTech and Shadowrun Returns, is teasing something brand new. 

The strategy-centric studio tweeted a teaser video just yesterday (see below), showing off a shadowy, futuristic city with what appears to be a crater gaping in the middle, before jumping to a view of a planet with a cloud of debris hanging over it. "Something's coming," the studio teased, alongside a link to their website that has "GRAFT" in big, bold letters. 

Harebrained Schemes' executive producer Mike McCain also released a blog post in March, explaining that the team was hard at work on prototyping its next project to then pitch to potential publishers. "We've found the fun, and they're taking a look," McCain wrote at the time. So the above tease might indicate that the studio's next game is properly going ahead.

That's all surprisingly good news considering the studio hit some large speed bumps last year. After finding massive crowdfunding success with its three Shadowrun adaptations and gaining an even bigger following with the turn-based BattleTech, publisher Paradox Interactive acquired the studio in 2018. Harebrained Schemes then released The Lamplighter's League to a lukewarm reception and even weaker sales just last year, which led to the two companies parting ways, meaning the studio is now fully independent once more.

"The Lamplighters League is a fun game with many strengths," Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester said at the time. "Even though we see cautiously positive player numbers in subscription services, the commercial reception has been too weak, which is frankly a big disappointment." The studio also went through mass layoffs, so I'm happy to see the fan-favorite strategy outfit somewhat back on its feet with whatever "GRAFT" ends up being.  

In the meantime, check out the best strategy games to play right now.

Kaan Serin
Freelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.