Dear Friends,
I would like to be open with you about the future of Task Force Elite as a game and the future of Red Spear Studios as a team. I want to provide clarity on some speculations and false information floating around about what is going on behind the scenes at RSS.
As many of you are aware, there have been changes and challenges the past year, within our team and regarding TFE as a project. There has, unfortunately, been a failure to deliver on promises to you, the community, as well as a lack of communication and game service issues.
We have a vision and we are moving forwards. We will build on what we have started, we will complete TFE and we will grow together, as a community and as a video game studio.
I would like to inform you first and foremost that Luis [Psycho] will be handing organisational and day-to-day operation duties to me as the new Managing Director. Luis will remain our CEO. Luis’ vision, passion and expertise remain crucial for us, and he will continue to work on the commercial side of the studio by securing projects, IP licences and funding to grow the business and its products.
I, Daniel [YP], have been selected by the team to lead as the new Managing Director, with Seth [IcIshoot] as second in command, as our CTO. We have the whole team’s fullest support. Both Seth and I are now dedicated full-time to lead the project, taking special care to improve communication and ensure steady development.
I have started my new assignment by reviewing our existing roadmap. This roadmap was planned with a different approach to roles and tasks for new team members. A lot has changed, so a new perspective is necessary.
It is important to make clear that our core team is currently composed of hobbyists dedicating their spare time to a collective vision. During 2022 we hired multiple people on a paid basis, to perform specific scope tasks within the project, as we currently continue to do so. An important takeaway is that both Seth and I have gone into full time leading the studio. The remaining team members work variable hours and contribute to the project through sheer will, determination and passion. Even if one team member can contribute only a little in a given week, progress is progress.
However, putting a hard deadline on this kind of working environment has detrimental effects in the long term — for the team, for the project and for the community. Together as a team we have concluded that we cannot provide public release dates for updates moving forwards.
Unfortunately, one of the events that had the most impact in our progress was that our Lead C++ Developer, who joined us in May 2022, had to step down for personal reasons last November. Currently, Seth will be overseeing decision-making and C++ development until further notice.
We have a budget for additional hires, but we have been unable to find the talent at an affordable cost. We are also looking to add more Unreal Engine C++ developers to our team to share the responsibilities for a healthier working environment which will increase productivity and allow us to develop TFE faster and to implement the features we desire.
On behalf of the team, I apologise for the lacking standard of communication of the past.
With our new structure, and with your patience, understanding and continued support, I believe we will overcome these obstacles and deliver the game we all want.
Daniel [YP]
Managing Director
Red Spear Studios