The studio behind Blumhouse-published horror game Crisol: Theater of Idols has reportedly shut down

Vermila Studios, the developer of Blumhouse-published Crisol: Theater of Idols, has shut down according to staff.

Reports started emerging earlier this week that the studio may be conducting layoffs, and as staff have taken to social media to confirm this, some have stated that the entire studio is closing down.

Game designer Raúl Pernía Alejandro wrote a thread on X, stating that the Madrid-based studio was no more.

“A few months ago, I shared with tremendous excitement the announcement of Crisol: Theater of Idols,” he wrote (via machine translation). “Today, I wanted to provide a bit of context for everyone who followed the project and supported us from day one on Vermila.

“A few months after the launch, Vermila Studios has initiated a redundancy procedure that has ultimately led to the studio’s closure and the departure of the entire team. It’s very tough news for those of us who have dedicated so much effort and love to this project.

“Even so, I don’t want that to be the memory that remains. Working at Crisol has been the first stage of my professional career and an experience of which I feel very, very proud. I’ve learned so much and have had the luck to share these two years with incredible people.

“I also wanted to thank all of you who played, shared the game, or simply supported us during the development and launch. Seeing the affection with which the community received Crisol was one of the greatest rewards of the entire journey.”

He added: “The project has reached the players, but, unfortunately, the studio has not been able to move forward. I’m sad about how this stage ends, but proud of what we all achieved together, both the team and all the players who created a beautiful community.”

Crisol: Theater of Idols was introduced to the masses during Summer Game Fest 2024, as one of six games set to be published by horror film production company Blumhouse under its new Blumhouse Games label.

Players have to make their way through Hispania, a “nightmarish reimagining” of Spain, and have to carry out a divine mission from the Sun God by taking on the animated statues of saints.

Its main unique feature is the use of protagonist Gabriel’s own blood as the ammunition for his weapons, meaning the player’s heath bar and ammo counter draw from the same resource. The aim, then, is to carefully pick your shots while finding syringes of blood and dead creatures to replenish both your health and your firepower.

The game was released in February 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, and was generally well received with a Metacritic score of 74.