Liquid Swords

Liquid Swords was an independent Swedish video game developer founded in December 2020 by Christofer Sundberg, previously a co-founder of Avalanche Studios. Based in the Stockholm area, the studio focused on single-player action-adventure games for PC and consoles, combining narrative design, combat systems and high-fidelity graphics.

Its development capabilities covered game and level design, software engineering, technical tools, 3D art, animation, and in-house audio engineering and sound design. The studio built its principal project using Unreal Engine 5 and undertook both development and self-publishing.

Development and releases

The company's major project was Samson: A Tyndalston Story, an open-world noir action-adventure game set in a fictional industrial city. Its production brought together narrative, environmental design and close-quarters combat within a single-player experience.

The game launched on PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store on April 8, 2026. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions followed on September 21, 2026. Launch versions experienced performance problems and received mixed responses from critics and players. According to the supplied research, commercial returns were insufficient to sustain the company's operating costs and debt obligations.

Investment and company history

NetEase Games acquired a minority stake in November 2022, providing capital for the studio's expansion. Liquid Swords retained creative and operational independence following the investment; it did not become a NetEase operating branch.

Financial pressures and tightening investment conditions led to restructuring in 2025. The studio subsequently entered bankruptcy following a Stockholm District Court ruling on October 12, 2026. Sundberg publicly confirmed its permanent closure on October 20, 2026, and the company's assets and intellectual property became subject to receivership and liquidation.