Ivy Road, Studio Founded by The Stanley Parable Creator, Announces Closure; Promises "Final Surprise" for Wanderstop

The studio Ivy Road, founded by Davey Wreden, the acclaimed creator of The Stanley Parable, has announced its impending closure. The team is set to cease operations on March 31, 2026, citing a critical failure to secure funding for their next planned project, "Engine Angel," despite having a fully developed concept ready.

Ivy Road launched its debut title, Wanderstop, a cozy tea shop simulator, in March 2025. The game garnered a warm reception from players, achieving an impressive rating of over 90% positive reviews on Steam. However, this critical success, reflected by a peak concurrent player count of 1317 on Steam, proved insufficient to generate the necessary capital to finance a new game.

Despite the studio's upcoming closure, the developers have confirmed that their work on Wanderstop is not entirely concluded. They are actively preparing a "final surprise" for the game, a project that has been under development for approximately a year and is intended to attract a new audience.

Further details regarding this upcoming update will be revealed by publisher Annapurna Interactive, which will also assume responsibility for supporting the project after Ivy Road's closure. Wanderstop will continue to be available for purchase on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.

“Thank you to everyone who supported Wanderstop and our team in any form. Creating games is incredibly challenging work: it requires technical skills, emotional dedication, financial investment, countless hours of labor, and a touch of luck. We are proud to have created this project together – and that hundreds of thousands of players have experienced it. We hope that one day you too will be inspired to create something of your own – be it art, music, writing, or even your own video game. Please remember to take care of yourselves: drink tea, rest, and find time to pet fluffy animals.”

– The Ivy Road Team