David Sears, South of Midnight’s former creative director, says he worried during development that Xbox might eventually cut off funding for the game. Speaking to MinnMax, he described the project as one aimed more at building a publisher’s prestige than generating substantial commercial returns.
Sears said he had warned others that the funding could end abruptly, with harmful consequences. Asked whether he would have funded the game himself if he had been in charge at Xbox, he said he probably would have stopped the flow of money before South of Midnight, adding that, in hindsight, the arrangement seemed unsustainable.
He recalled discussing the project with other directors, who wondered how it had received the support to go ahead. Sears said he saw that support as temporary and remained concerned about when it might end.
Sears, who left Compulsion Games in March 2025, also said he believed Microsoft had shown a more humane approach by allowing studios such as Compulsion to become independent rather than closing them outright. Compulsion has since parted ways with Xbox.
Sources: Rock Paper Shotgun.