Samson developer Liquid Swords in bankruptcy; assets up for bids until October 21
Swedish studio Liquid Swords, maker of Samson, is in bankruptcy and its administrator is taking bids for its IP and development assets. All 27 employees are being dismissed.
Digital Developer Desk, 3h ago, 2 min read
Liquid Swords, the Swedish developer of Samson, has gone into bankruptcy. Its administrator, the Swedish law firm Cirio, published a preliminary bidding document for potential buyers last week. The bidding window closes on October 21, 2026.
According to business site Breakit, relayed by Game Talk, employees petitioned for bankruptcy after going two months without pay. Their salaries will be covered by the Swedish state wage guarantee. Earlier Breakit reports described an acute liquidity shortage, and founder Christofer Sundberg said he did not think it could be resolved.
The assets for sale are the intellectual property rights attributable to Samson, the studio's debut title, which launched in April, plus the company's other IP. Related development assets, equipment and inventory are also included. The document lists Samson's sales as of October 14, 2026: 151,900 copies and SEK 24.1 million ($2.4 million) in revenue.
All 27 employees are being dismissed as part of the bankruptcy. Cirio said their contracts do not transfer with the business, so a buyer who wants the staff would need to sign new employment contracts with each person.
Sundberg, an Avalanche co-founder, founded Liquid Swords in 2020. NetEase took an undisclosed minority stake in 2022. The studio also cut its workforce last February, citing long-term sustainability, but did not say how many people were affected.
Sources
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