Spacetime, an Austin, Texas-based studio, has announced that NCsoft will no longer be funding the company's MMO project.
NCsoft signed a publishing deal with Spacetime two years ago for the development of Blackstar - an original IP space combat MMO.
According to a Spacetime blog entry, the developer "...won’t be entering production in the immediate future, so we are retrenching and unfortunately had to let 12 folks go."
Nevertheless, the company said that it remained committed to the IP and was exploring other options. It also indicated that it did not bear any ill-will against NCsoft for the decision.
"There is a tremendous amount of mutual respect between our companies. They have conducted themselves with honor and integrity, and we would work with them again in an instant," the blog statement read.