Robotoki Closes, Human Element’s Development on Hiatus

Robert Bowling has announced that his independent studio, Robotoki, will be closing up shop as its debut title's future is left uncertain.

According to Joystiq, Robert Bowling has released a public statement announcing the closing of Robotoki. Bowling founded the studio in 2012. Prior to Robotoki's creation, Bowling worked at Infinity Ward, during its Jason West and Vince Zampella glory days at the studio, as a Creative Strategist and a community hype man for the Call of Duty series.

"This week we have ceased operations at Robotoki and the development of Human Element is on hiatus," Bowling said. "We were actively negotiating a new publishing deal for the premium version of Human Element but unfortunately I was unable to continue to self-fund development until a deal was finalized."

Unfortunately, the future of Robotoki's would-be debut title, Human Element, is still unknown. A few months ago, Robotoki dissolved its publishing agreement with Nexon for Human Element, which the publisher wanted to make a free-to-play game and Bowling did not. Human Element was planned to be a class-based, zombie apocalypse survival game. Hopefully we get to play Human Element one day and it doesn't become one of those projects stuck in development limbo.