Refractor Studios has reportedly shut down and laid off its staff roughly two months after releasing FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition through Netflix Games. The June 11 launch attracted negative reviews, particularly for its visuals and gameplay, but Netflix later described it as one of its strongest cloud-game releases.
The reported details come from LinkedIn posts by several former employees. They said Delphi Interactive, Refractor’s part-owner and parent company, withdrew the studio’s funding after the game shipped. The number of affected workers has not been confirmed.
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Netflix promoted the release as a multiplayer football experience for up to four friends on television or computer:
It’s game time! FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition is now on Netflix Games.
Choose a team, storm the pitch, and play on your TV or computer with up to four friends: https://t.co/OuTDSNdc0k pic.twitter.com/YNz0XJ3IGh
— Netflix, June 11, 2026
In July, Netflix said FIFA World Cup was a “top-tier” performer and one of its most successful game launches, despite the critical response.
Delphi Interactive was founded in 2020 and works by licensing intellectual property and developing games with support from partners. It was a co-owner of the Los Angeles-based Refractor Studios.
Art director Barclay Chantel said on LinkedIn that Delphi had “pulled the plug” immediately after the Netflix game shipped and that the entire studio had been dismissed. Chantel also offered to connect former colleagues with potential employers.
Full stack developer Nathan Potter similarly stated that the parent company withdrew its funding after launch, leaving the whole development team without work. Potter said he was seeking a new position in game development or full stack engineering.
These reports highlight the employment risks that can follow a game launch, even when a platform holder presents the release as a commercial success. For readers interested in the hardware side of gaming, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide explains the key considerations when choosing a cabinet, while arcade machines offer a different route to dedicated home gaming.
Delphi Interactive’s website says the company is “redefining how AAA games are made”. The reported closure of Refractor shortly after its release has prompted questions about that model and about how funding decisions affect development teams.
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