🔴 Update on Pizza Syndicate – Current Status & Future Direction
Hello everyone,
We want to share a clear and honest update regarding the current status of Pizza Syndicate and the future direction of the project.
First of all, thank you for the continued support, messages and interest.
Seeing that the game still resonates with so many of you means a lot to us. ❤️
⚖️ IP situation – current status
Over the past two years, we have actively tried to identify and contact the current IP rights holders of the original title.
This includes:
More than 100+ emails sent to potential rights holders and related companies
Meetings with several developers, designers and project directors from the original game
Attempts to reach publishers and studios connected to the original release
Legal assistance to help trace ownership
Despite these efforts, we have still not been able to confirm or reach the current IP holder.
At this stage, we have made the decision to no longer actively pursue the original IP as a dependency for development, due to the extended time required and lack of progress.
Instead, we will continue occasional efforts to trace ownership in parallel, but it is no longer a blocker for the project’s future direction.
🚫 Steam Next Fest (February update)
As previously communicated in our last official update, we had to opt out of Steam Next Fest in February, despite having a fully working demo, marketing materials and a prepared showcase.
This decision was made due to the unresolved IP situation at the time.
🔄 Where this leaves the project
At this point, the most viable and sustainable path forward is:
1. Full rebuild (only direction forward)
We will be rebuilding the game from scratch as a fully original project.
This means:
New IP, branding, visuals and audio
Recreated and improved assets
Preserving and expanding the core gameplay experience
Modernizing systems, UI and accessibility
Expanding features based on community feedback
Early access development with community involvement
🧠 What a rebuild will focus on
A full rebuild will not be a replacement of the original idea — it will be an evolution of it.
Our goal is to:
Preserve the core identity and gameplay loop
Improve outdated systems and UX
Expand management and simulation depth
Modernize visuals, performance, and UI
Involve the community throughout development
We want the rebuilt version to stay faithful to what made the original special, while giving it the foundation it needs to exist as a modern game.
Estimated development time for a full rebuild is approximately 14–26 months, depending on scope and iteration cycles.
💰 Development approach
A full rebuild of this scope represents a significant development effort for a small independent studio.
To make this possible, we would be moving toward a community-supported development model, where funding and support from the community would play a key role in bringing the project to life.
This is not a new approach for us in terms of delivering games successfully but it would be the first time we build this specific title together with direct community funding and involvement from the ground up.
We are confident in our ability to deliver based on our previous releases and experience shipping commercial games across multiple platforms but this project will only move forward with sufficient community interest and support.
🤝 Community involvement
Before moving into production and funding, we want to involve the community early in the process.
We are currently preparing an interest list where you can:
Stay updated on development progress
Participate in polls and feedback sessions
Actively help shape the direction of the rebuild (game itself)
Indicate interest in supporting the project’s future development
🚀 What happens next
In the coming weeks, we will:
Share more details about the rebuild direction
Open the community interest list
Gather feedback on funding structure and support options
Our goal remains unchanged:
To bring Pizza Syndicate back to life in a way that is legal, sustainable, and shaped together with the community.
📨 Please share this
If you know other players who enjoyed the original game or are fans of classic management sims, feel free to share this update. It really helps us reach the right audience as we move into the next phase of development.
Thank you again for your patience, passion, and support. ❤️ It genuinely keeps this project moving forward.
Join Our Pizza Syndicate Discord! 🍕
Want to help shape the future of the game, share ideas for a possible rebuild, or just hang out with fellow fans of classic sims?
Join our official Discord and be part of the conversation, we’d love to hear your thoughts!