Released in April 2026 on PC, then in September on PS5 and Xbox Series, Samson A Tyndalston Story (to give it its full name) is an open-world action game set in a criminal underworld, with a focus on hand-to-hand combat and a city where every decision can have consequences (on paper, at least). Developed by Liquid Swords, a Swedish studio founded by Christofer Sundberg, co-founder of Avalanche Studios and one of the creators of Just Cause, the game was meant to mark the start of a new adventure for the industry veteran. Sadly, despite encouraging console sales, Samson hasn't managed to save its studio from bankruptcy. With a Metacritic score of 51/100 from the press and a 5.2/10 user rating, the game was dogged by mixed reviews from day one, thanks to technical problems and gameplay that left plenty to be desired. Here's where things stand.
In light of the situation and the closure of his studio, Christofer Sundberg wanted to set a few things straight, confirming on social media that Samson had sold “far better on consoles” — though without giving any precise figures. That upturn sadly wasn't enough to keep Liquid Swords alive, and its founder announced the closure after several months of financial trouble. The game did have things going for it where fans of GTA and Max Payne were concerned, with its grimy criminal atmosphere and a more down-to-earth take on open-world action. The trouble is that when it landed on PC, reviewers were quick to flag up its many bugs, combat that often felt clumsy and controls that lacked responsiveness. Several updates then tried to patch up those flaws, but it wasn't enough to turn things around, and certainly not enough to tempt other players into giving the game a go.
27 employees hit by the bankruptcy
Liquid Swords' finances had already deteriorated badly before the official announcement, and according to the Swedish press, none of the 27 employees had been paid for several months. The bankruptcy proceedings should allow the staff involved to receive compensation covered by the Swedish state, in line with local law. The administrator handling the case is reportedly also hoping to find a buyer.
Liquid Swords was founded by Christofer Sundberg after he left Avalanche Studios, which he had co-founded and where he spent more than a decade. With his new outfit, he wanted to offer a different way of making video games: fewer meetings he considered pointless, no enforced overtime, and limits on outside interference that might disrupt the teams' work. A philosophy that sadly didn't help its first project find a wide audience. Sundberg doesn't intend to close the book on Samson entirely, however, saying that talks are under way to keep support for the game going, even if nothing concrete has been announced yet. “We make mistakes, we learn, we get back up and we move forward”, he wrote, while saying he was proud of the work his team had done. Here's hoping a buyer does come forward to give the game a second life. He deserves nothing less.
