Gaming collective New Blood Interactive is no longer working on retro FPS Maximum Action. The studio had been set to publish the project, but publishing duties will now fall to developer George Mandell under the name of his company Balloon Moose.
Why has New Blood departed Maximum Action?
This news comes via an official announcement on Maximum Action's Steam discussion page. In the announcement, New Blood's David Oshry cites "creative differences" as the reason for the split between New Blood and developer George Mandell. The post doesn't hint at any kind of acrimonious split; Oshry and New Blood say they wish Mandell and Balloon Moose "the best in all their future endeavors". Oshry also adds that, on a personal note, he and New Blood were "very proud" of the work they did on Maximum Action and are sad they won't be able to see it through to completion.
Oshry and New Blood also say they will be offering a refund or a key for another New Blood game "as compensation" for their departure from Maximum Action. The studio's departure means that the soundtrack has changed; the music is completely different, with some players expressing disappointment at the new soundtrack's quality. It's not clear what else might change in Maximum Action as a result of New Blood leaving the project.
What's next for Maximum Action?
It's hard to say. The game originally entered Early Access in September 2018. New Blood joined the project as a publisher and supporting developer in June 2019; Oshry's studio helped with Maximum Action's music and provided extra development work on the game. For his part, developer Mandell hasn't made any kind of official announcement regarding New Blood's departure, and nor has his company Balloon Moose. We've reached out to both George Mandell and New Blood's David Oshry for comment on this story and will bring you more as soon as we get it.
What do you think about New Blood's departure from Maximum Action? Let us know in the comments below!
