Chernobylite 2’s failure pushes studio to the brink: The Farm 51 files for bankruptcy while seeking investors

Polish studio The Farm 51 (The Farm 51 Group S.A.), known for the Chernobylite series and the multiplayer shooter World War 3, filed for bankruptcy on April 2, 2026. The management immediately clarified: this is a preventive measure, not the end of the studio. Under Polish law, while restructuring procedures and negotiations with creditors are ongoing, the court cannot declare bankruptcy — the petition is automatically suspended.

The studio has been heading toward this point for some time. Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone launched in early access in March 2025 and underperformed — selling only about 7,000 copies on Steam against a development budget of 30 million zloty (roughly ₽645 million). This was followed by layoffs of 15 employees and a Kickstarter campaign that raised just $218,000 (around ₽17 million), far too little to fill the financial gap.

The top priority in ongoing negotiations is securing funding to finish Chernobylite 2 and bring it out of early access. The outcome of these talks remains uncertain.

Another troubling issue has also surfaced: creditors have filed claims related to collateral tied to the intellectual property rights of both Chernobylite and Chernobylite 2.

The studio was founded in 2005 by former employees of People Can Fly. Its portfolio also includes NecroVision and Get Even.

Do you think the studio can recover from this situation? Would you like to see it succeed? Do you enjoy their games? Let us know in the comments.