Summary

  • One of Rollerdrome's developers is asking fans to pirate the game, as none of the original developers are working on it anymore.
  • Rollerdrome, a roller skating shooting game, received positive reviews for its quick action gameplay and inventive ideas.
  • Take-Two Interactive reportedly shut down developer Roll7, adding to the massive layoffs the gaming industry has seen in 2024.

One of the developers behind Rollerdrome has commemorated the game’s second anniversary by asking fans to pirate the action title. Rollerdrome was developed by Roll7, a British game studio that was allegedly shut down by Take-Two Interactive earlier this year.

Rollerdrome was originally released in 2022 as a PlayStation console exclusive. In the following year, Rollerdrome was added to Xbox Game Pass. Rollerdrome combines roller skating with shooting, and it received positive reviews from critics due to its quick-paced action gameplay, aesthetics, and inventive ideas.

Now, Anisa Sanusi, who worked as the user interface/experience designer for Rollerdrome, has congratulated the game on its second anniversary, and asked fans to pirate the game, as none of the developers who made the action title at Roll7 is still working there. Sanusi’s request is unusual, but it’s understandable considering what happened to the Roll7 studio earlier this year. Back in May, Take-Two Interactive reportedly shut down Roll7 and Intercept Games, essentially laying off everyone who worked on Rollerdrome.

Rollerdrome Developer Asks Fans To Pirate The Game During Its 2-Year Anniversary

The situation was especially awkward considering that Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick had increased his own pay by $26 million earlier this year and that Roll7 had a track record of shipping commercially successful games, including its previous OlliOlli World. To make matters even more complicated, Take-Two officially denies that the studios were shut down. However, reports from the time indicate that essentially all workers from these places were laid off.

Overall, 2024 has been a very difficult year for the gaming industry. The cost of making games keeps increasing, profits do not seem to be growing for some companies, and this has led to a massive number of layoffs in multiple studios, with over 11,500 jobs lost so far. Companies that laid off employees include Microsoft, Sega, Twitch, Embracer Group, Unity, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Epic Games, Sony, and many others.

However, even in the middle of such a troubled time, some positive surprises can still happen. Recently, the PUBG publisher Krafton acquired Tango Gameworks, which was previously shut down by Microsoft back in May. The company has recently re-hired around half of the original team who worked on Hi-Fi Rush, acquired the rights to publish the next game in the franchise, and is reportedly set to start working on the popular series again. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that the same situation will happen with Roll7 or Rollerdrome, or to most of the other studios that were shut down or lost most of their workforce this year.

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Rollerdrome Tag Page Cover Art

Rollerdrome
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Third-Person Shooter
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Systems
PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 78%
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Released
August 16, 2022
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Roll7
Publisher(s)
Private Division
Engine
Unity
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Rollerdrome is a BAFTA award-winning third person action shooter that seamlessly blends high octane combat with fluid motion to create an action experience like no other. Dominate with style in cinematic, visceral combat where kills net you health and pulling off tricks and grinds provide you ammunition, in this adrenaline-pumping action shooter.
The year is 2030. In a world where corporations rule and the lines between reality and performance are blurred, the public are kept distracted by the violence and excess of a brutal new blood sport — Rollerdrome. Will you have what it takes to become the Rollerdrome champion and unravel the mysteries behind the Matterhorn corporation’s true intentions?
From Roll7, the minds that brought you the award winning and critically acclaimed OlliOlli series comes Rollerdrome, an intense shooter-skater hybrid set in an evocative retrofuture.
A third person action shooter like no other – an original hybrid shooter-skater that blends high octane, visceral combat with fluid movement and tricking mechanics into one complementary and challenging whole.
A test of skill – Take on a unique challenge throughout the Rollerdrome tournament. Establish your dominance in the field with online leaderboards and push yourself to the limit with the unlockable "Out For Blood" mode for the most extreme test of skill and agility.
An original identity – An all-new fully original soundtrack that merges iconic era sounds and tones with cutting edge production to provide a heart-thumping backdrop to the carnage, brought to life with a unique comic-book inspired art style.
A dark conspiracy – Discover a mysterious, sinister plot in this distinct retrofuture universe.
The developers describe the content like this: When taking damage, human characters (the player and enemies) emit blood particle effects that persist for a brief period before fading away.

Genre(s)
Third-Person Shooter
How Long To Beat
5 Hours
File Size Xbox Series
4 GB (January 2024)