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The Outsiders: What Happened to Metal: Hellsinger Studio?

Last Updated: November 6, 2025

The Outsiders studio logo and key art from Metal: Hellsinger.

In a turbulent industry where studio closures have become all too common, the story of The Outsiders—the Swedish team behind the award-winning rhythm FPS Metal: Hellsinger—has taken a different, more promising turn. Far from shutting down, the studio has evolved, securing its future and embarking on ambitious new projects under the banner of its publisher, Funcom.

This is the definitive story of The Outsiders' journey from a promising indie to a key Funcom studio.

From a Canceled Dream to a Metal Masterpiece

The Outsiders was co-founded by David Goldfarb, an industry veteran renowned for his work as lead designer on Battlefield 3 and game director for Payday 2. The Stockholm-based team was established with a clear mission: to create unique, high-quality games with a distinct voice.

Their first project was the ambitious but ultimately canceled fantasy title Darkborn, where players would control a monstrous creature. After parting ways with their publisher on that project, the team demonstrated immense resilience by pivoting to a new, explosive concept that would become their signature achievement: Metal: Hellsinger.

Published by Funcom, Metal: Hellsinger launched in September 2022 to critical and commercial acclaim. The game’s genius lies in its masterful fusion of brutal first-person shooting and rhythm-based gameplay. The more accurately you slay demons to the beat of the roaring metal soundtrack, the more powerful your attacks become and the more layers of the music are unleashed. This created an exhilarating feedback loop that felt both innovative and deeply satisfying.

The Legacy of a Star-Studded Soundtrack

A core pillar of Metal: Hellsinger's success is its monumental soundtrack. The Outsiders collaborated with a pantheon of heavy metal legends to voice the original score, creating an authentic and unforgettable audio experience. The roster of featured vocalists is a metalhead's dream:

  • Serj Tankian (System of a Down)
  • Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy)
  • Matt Heafy (Trivium)
  • Randy Blythe (Lamb of God)
  • Tatiana Shmayluk (Jinjer)
  • Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity)

This star power not only gave the game immense credibility but also served as its thunderous marketing call. The incredible sound design and music earned the game Best Audio at The Game Awards 2022 and a Golden Joystick Award for Best Audio, cementing its legacy as a bold, genre-defining title.

A Different Path: Acquisition and Stability

While many independent studios have faced the harsh realities of the modern games industry, The Outsiders found a path to stability. In 2021, even before Hellsinger's launch, publisher Funcom announced its acquisition of the studio. This move was a powerful vote of confidence in Goldfarb's team and their vision.

The acquisition provided The Outsiders with the resources and security needed to complete and successfully launch Metal: Hellsinger. The studio was subsequently integrated into its parent company and is now known as Funcom Stockholm. This contrasts sharply with the fate of many other talented teams, demonstrating how a strong publisher partnership can help a creatively successful studio navigate a challenging economic climate and thrive.

The Future: Life After Hellsinger

With the Metal: Hellsinger IP securely housed within Funcom, and its original creative team still at the helm, the franchise's future is in capable hands. More importantly, the talented developers at Funcom Stockholm are already hard at work on their next major project.

David Goldfarb, now serving as Creative Director at the studio, has confirmed they are developing a new game built with Unreal Engine 5. While details are still emerging, he has described it as a third-person co-op RPG shooter, signaling a move into a new genre while retaining the team's expertise in compelling action. This next chapter ensures that the creative spirit and proven talent of the original Outsiders team will continue to deliver innovative experiences for years to come, proving that their final act is yet to be written.