![[EXCLUSIVE] Beyond the Base Game: Cygames on What Endless Ragnarok Means for Granblue Fantasy: Relink](https://cdn.gamerbraves.com/2026/06/GBF-Relink-Endless-Ragnarok-Exclusive_Interview_FI-360x180.jpg)
NetEase is reportedly shutting down Fantastic Pixel Castle, the studio led by veteran designer Greg Street, best known for his influential work on World of Warcraft and League of Legends. The move marks another wave of cuts by the Chinese publisher as it scales back its overseas development operations.
Founded in 2023, Fantastic Pixel Castle was developing an original fantasy MMO codenamed “Ghost.” The studio’s closure is expected to take effect on November 17, 2025, unless new investors intervene. Street confirmed the situation in a post on LinkedIn, writing that “while there is still a chance we can secure funding after that date, it will depend on how much of the team remains.” He added that while they would “love to make our game,” their “first priority is to help our developers find employment, whether that’s at indie studio Fantastic Pixel Castle 2.0, or at many of the other fine (and hopefully stable) game and tech companies out there.”
From Blizzard to Riot — and Beyond
To many players, Greg Street is better known by his World of Warcraft moniker Ghostcrawler. During his time as lead systems designer at Blizzard Entertainment from 2008 to 2013, he helped shape the MMO during its golden years. After leaving Blizzard, Street joined Riot Games, where he contributed to League of Legends and later led development on a still-unannounced MMO set in the same universe. He eventually departed Riot in 2023, channeling his experience into the creation of Fantastic Pixel Castle.
The studio represented a new chapter for Street — a chance to build an MMO from the ground up with a small, passionate team. When Ghost was first revealed, Street spoke openly about his desire to recapture the magic of World of Warcraft’s community-driven storytelling while modernizing the genre for a new generation.
NetEase’s Global Retrenchment
The closure of Fantastic Pixel Castle follows a broader pattern of NetEase pulling back from its global investments. The publisher has also shuttered Worlds Untold, led by former BioWare creative Mac Walters, Jar of Sparks, the Seattle-based studio founded by Xbox veteran Jerry Hook, and Ouka Studio, the Tokyo-based developer behind Visions of Mana for Square Enix.
Earlier this year, Street had been optimistic about his studio’s future, telling Polygon, “I feel like we are in a stronger position now because NetEase has clearly been evaluating their portfolio and decided our game is one they want to focus on.” But that confidence has since waned, as NetEase’s downsizing efforts have continued to ripple through its network of Western studios.
Still a Glimmer of Hope
Despite the uncertainty, Street remains grateful to those who have supported the team. On LinkedIn, he thanked “our supporters at NetEase” and “the literally dozens of people who reached out trying to help us raise capital.” He expressed cautious optimism, saying, “There is still a chance one of them works out, and it really only takes one.”
For now, the fate of Ghost — and the team behind it — hangs in limbo. Whether Fantastic Pixel Castle finds new life through fresh investment or closes its doors for good, Street’s influence as one of the key architects behind World of Warcraft and League of Legends remains undeniable.
As the studio prepares for what could be its final days, the MMO community watches closely, hoping this won’t be the last adventure for Street and his team — and that Fantastic Pixel Castle 2.0 might one day rise from the ashes.
