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Merge Games announced in September 2024 that it was closing after 15 years, following Maximum Entertainment’s plan to unify its publishing labels. The label was later described as integrated into Maximum, but its games did not all end up with the same rights holder: Maximum said Smalland: Survive the Wilds remained with it, while it sold interests in about 90 Merge catalog titles to Silver Lining Interactive. The available announcements do not establish who currently holds the rights to Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX.
What happened to Merge Games?
The closure followed a broader change at its parent company. On February 15, 2024, Maximum Entertainment said it would unify its publishing labels, including Merge Games, under the Maximum Entertainment name as it completed its integration. Maximum Entertainment’s announcement described the move as a company-wide transition, not simply a standalone studio closure.
On September 26, 2024, Merge Games publicly announced that it was closing after 15 years. The post was later replaced with wording that Merge had been integrated into Maximum Entertainment. GameDeveloper reported the announcement and the change in wording. Its report also quoted former Merge community manager Tom Griffith, who said most staff had been laid off and two were retained to manage sales. That is Griffith’s account, not a headcount disclosure confirmed by Maximum Entertainment. GameDeveloper’s report
What did Maximum Entertainment sell?
On December 23, 2024, Maximum Entertainment announced that it had completed the sale of Merge Games interests, including intellectual property rights to approximately 90 catalog titles, to Silver Lining Interactive. Maximum said Silver Lining is owned by Merge’s founders and family members. The transaction announcement distinguished those catalog interests from five named titles whose rights stayed with Maximum: Smalland: Survive the Wilds, Bramble: The Mountain King, Pixelshire, Morbid: The Lords of Ire and Sunnyside. Maximum Entertainment’s transaction announcement
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#1 Best Overall
- A huge open sandbox world to explore from a tiny perspective
- Survive alone or work together with up to 10 players
- Tame and mount insects, spiders, birds and more in order to travel further and faster
- Explore at ground level or take to the skies
- Build your Tree base that travels with you to new servers
So “Merge Games shut down” does not mean all games once associated with the label changed ownership in the same way. Maximum’s announcement specifically says Smalland remained with Maximum; the approximately 90-title figure describes catalog interests included in the sale, not every game Merge ever published or distributed.
What does this mean for Smalland?
Maximum’s December 2024 transaction announcement explicitly says the rights to Smalland: Survive the Wilds remained with Maximum Entertainment. That establishes the rights position stated at the time of the transaction; it does not establish the game’s current update schedule or support plans.
Rank #2
- A huge open sandbox world to explore from a tiny perspective
- Survive alone or work together with up to 10 players
- Tame and mount insects, spiders, birds and more in order to travel further and faster
- Explore at ground level or take to the skies
- Build your perfect Great Tree base that travels with you to new servers
Earlier, on January 31, 2024, Maximum announced that Smalland would leave Early Access and launch version 1.0 on February 15, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The announcement also described a physical PS5 edition. Those were release plans announced in 2024, not confirmation of current retail stock or ongoing development. Maximum Entertainment’s Smalland release announcement
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What about Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX?
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX was listed among Merge Games’ publishing and distribution portfolio by Nintendo Life. Nintendo Life’s game listing supports its association with Merge, but Maximum’s December 2024 sale announcement does not name the game. The available announcements therefore do not establish whether its rights were included in the catalog sale or who holds them now.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- A huge open sandbox world that you explore from the perspective of a tiny little
- Survive alone or work with up to 10 players
- Tame and ride insects, spiders, birds and more to travel further and faster
- Explore the ground or conquer the skies
- Build your perfect base on a large tree that accompanies you to new servers
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