Strategy Informer  

Game Republic, founded by legendary game developer Yoshiki Okamoto, has been shuttered. The developer's offices have been vacated, complete with a "For Rent" sign in the window. Game Republic is best known for Folklore and Genji: Days of the Blade. The latter best game is infamous for featuring a "giant enemy crab" whom players could "attack its weak point for massive damage."

According to Kotaku, "there are unconfirmed rumors that Okamoto and Game Republic owed large amounts of money in back loans, and that Okamoto has even skipped the country." This rumor remains unsubstantiated, however.

The oddity is that Game Republic closed without so much as a brief press release or statement from Okamoto. More news when - or if - it comes.

Source: Kotaku

Related games: Folklore (aka Folks Soul: The Lost Folklore) (PS3), GENJI: Days of the Blade (PS3)