History
Brace Yourself Games began in 2013 in Vancouver, Canada, as a small indie studio led by Ryan Clark. The studio’s first major success came with Crypt of the NecroDancer , released in April 2015, which introduced a unique fusion of roguelike RPG dungeon mechanics and rhythm-based action—receiving widespread praise and defining a new subgenre. [2]
In 2018, the studio acquired Phantom Brigade developer Tetragon Works, absorbing the studio's staff and taking over the development and publishing of the game. [5]
In 2019, at Clark’s initiative, the team pitched adding Zelda characters and elements to their Nintendo Switch version. [6] This collaboration later evolved into Cadence of Hyrule , released in June 2019 and published by Nintendo. [6] [3]
In 2022, Brace Yourself Games expanded into publishing with the launch of its own publishing label, Brace Yourself Publishing. The initiative was aimed at supporting small indie developers seeking greater visibility for their games. In its public announcement, the company emphasized selectivity, stating its desire to publish "a small handful of games to which we give our full attention and care.” The company began accepting submissions directly from independent developers, encouraging early-stage projects so long as they include something playable. [4]
On May 18, 2023, Brace Yourself Games announced significant layoffs affecting roughly half its workforce, citing financial pressures and project delays. [7] In an official statement, the company stated that remaining staff would focus on key titles like Rift of the NecroDancer , the Crypt of the NecroDancer: Synchrony DLC, Phantom Brigade , and another untitled game. [8]
In February 2025, the studio released Rift of the NecroDancer for PC and Nintendo Switch. [9]
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