If you weren’t aware that Rune II came out yesterday, I wouldn’t blame you, because the game seems to have slipped under most radars (I missed its launch, for instance). Sadly, that was the last game Human Head Studios will release under that name, as the studio has been disbanded. Thankfully, all the developers working there have found a new home under Bethesda’s stewardship, in the newly created Roundhouse Studios.

Here’s the full announcement on the studio’s closure and future, courtesy of Katherine Stull, Human Head Studios‘ Community Manager:

The last month has been a unique one for all of us at Human Head Studios. We recently launched Rune II on the Epic Store and hope you’re enjoying the game and checking out the Rune II streams. We’re very proud of what our talented team has created and encourage everyone to sail their longships in search of battle against the dark forces of Ragnarok.

However, Rune II will be the final game for Human Head Studios. After 22 great years of making games as an independent studio, economic realities have forced us to make the decision to wind down the company and close its doors. But while we are closing the book on Human Head, we are not closing the book on the amazing team we have assembled.

When we realized the company would have to close, we wanted to do whatever we could to keep the team together and keep each member of our talented staff employed, right here at home. That’s when we reached out to Bethesda Softworks to see what might be possible. As a result, we are proud to announce that the development team from Human Head is becoming part of Bethesda as a new studio based in Madison, WI, called Roundhouse Studios. The entire staff has been offered new roles with Bethesda, and it’s exciting to know that our team, which has accomplished so much together, for so long, can continue doing what we love.

This is an exciting opportunity for our small but industrious clan of developers to embark on a new chapter of game development as members of the Bethesda family. With their support and resources, we look forward to creating great game experiences for many years to come.

We want to thank all of you for your incredible support over the last 22 years. Your passion and excitement for games is what has driven and motivated us for many, many years. We’re really excited for what the future holds for us and look forward to you joining us on this new adventure.

I assume that Rune II will continue to be updated, as players are reporting numerous bugs and technical issues.