9 Amazing Video Game Developers Killed Off By Their Publishers

7. Runic Games

Founded: 2008

Defunct: 2017

What happened: One of many studios that set up shop after the mass staff exodus from Blizzard North took place, Runic Games, on the merit of its founders' pedigree alone, became a one-to-watch, following its formation in 2008.

Among its staff were the Schaefer brothers, the two men responsible for Diablo, so when 2009 rolled around, bringing with it Torchlight, a dungeon crawler not dissimilar to its creator's past work, action-RPG fans naturally went wild.

Torchlight II continued the successful streak in 2012, but it wasn't until last year that Runic produced anything further: the overlooked and unassuming Hob.

Three months later, parent company Perfect World announced that Runic had breathed its last. The publisher decided it wanted to focus on the 'games as a service' (sounds familiar) model, a new vision that Runic, apparently, wouldn't fit well with.

Gone, just like that.