WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers, the Soulslike action game from developer Leenzee Games and publisher 505 Games didn't exactly set the Soulslike world on fire when it arrived last year, but it wasn't the biggest disappointment either. Regardless, it seems like we won't see Leenzee take another kick at the can, as the studio's core development team has reportedly dissolved following the departure of its lead director.
According to SavePoint Gaming (via Eurogamer), producer and director Xia Siyuan was let go from the studio amidst a change in its top-end leadership. Per multiple reports from Chinese outlets including GamerSky, the new regime was looking to move the studio towards more support work. Siyuan disagreed with this new direction, which led to their dismissal.
They weren't the only one who disagreed, as the rest of the core development team behind WUCHANG also felt the same way, and seemingly suffered the same fate. It's unclear if Leenzee cut ties with all of the members of the core team or if they were all simply moved into new roles, but the prevailing notion is that the core team that made WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is no more.
Leenzee has yet to comment publicly on the situation, though it is ultimately unfortunate to see a promising team seemingly get tossed aside like this. There are a lot of Soulslike games that miss the mark trying to force their own spin on the formula that has proven to resonate so well with players. Some miss the mark entirely, while others are able to capture something of that spark, and fewer still are able to capture the essence of what makes a good Soulslike and evolve it.
WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers fell in that second category. It didn't reinvent the Soulslike wheel, but it was by no means an offensive attempt at finding a footing in the genre. Yes, it launched with a slew of technical issues and bugs that didn't help its case, but it followed that misfire with a patch that brought significant improvements.
When Wccftech's Francesco De Meo reviewed the game last year, as someone who plays lots of action games and Soulslikes, he identified that WUCHANG had a lot going for it, despite its failures. "WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is a solid Soulslike offering an interesting setting steeped in Chinese history and lore, and well-crafted interwoven mechanics that power satisfying combat," De Meo wrote at the time. It's poor performance at launch and "uninspired level design" held it back, but both of those issues are things Leenzee could've tried to iron out in a sequel.
It's unfortunate to know now that the studio seemingly won't get that chance.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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