The Outsiders

The Outsiders was a Stockholm-based game development studio founded in 2015 by David Goldfarb and Benjamin Cousins. It focused on first-person games that combined distinctive art direction, fluid combat and high-fidelity visuals. Its creative approach occupied the space between large AAA productions and smaller independent games, pairing ambitious presentation with unusual gameplay concepts.

The studio's development capabilities covered game design, creative direction, narrative world-building, 3D art, modeling, animation and technical sound design. Its work brought together first-person combat systems, enemy AI, locomotion and interactive music, with Unreal Engine development for PC and consoles.

From dark fantasy to rhythm combat

An early major project was Darkborn, initially revealed as Project Wight and also known during development as Archenemy. The dark fantasy action game placed players in control of a beast hunted by Viking-inspired warriors. After four years of development and the end of its publishing partnership with Private Division, the project was shelved in April 2020.

The team redirected its core technology toward Metal: Hellsinger, a heavy-metal rhythm first-person shooter conceived by Goldfarb. Funcom revealed the game as its global publisher in June 2020. Released on September 15, 2022, it combined fast-paced shooting with original metal music, making musical timing central to combat.

The studio subsequently collaborated with Lab42 Games on Metal: Hellsinger VR, released in 2024. The Stockholm team also provided additional development support for Funcom's survival MMO Dune: Awakening.

Ownership and closure

Funcom acquired a majority stake in June 2021, and the studio also operated under the name Funcom Stockholm. Following wider restructuring at Funcom, The Outsiders closed in October 2025. Its operations remained discontinued as of November 10, 2026, while its official website remained online as an archival portfolio. Goldfarb discussed assembling a prospective independent successor, but the research does not establish that this concept had become an operating continuation of the studio.