Former Returnal Director Opens New Studio

Game designer Harry Krueger, who previously directed Returnal, has just announced a new studio named Cosmic Division. Returnal was developed by Housemarque, a studio with a storied history of making fast-paced action games known as bullet hells. Before entering the AAA gaming space with the 2021 roguelite, Housemarque was known for titles like Super Stardust HD, Resogun, and Nex Machina, among many others. Returnal came out to rave reviews that praised its gameplay and story, though some were critical of the game's difficulty and unforgiving save system.

More recently, Housemarque released Saros, a PS5 exclusive that shares many similarities with Returnal. Both games are third-person roguelike shooters set on alien worlds, but Saros differs from Returnal in how much progress players carry over between runs. Like the studio's previous effort, Saros was also highly praised by reviewers. While Harry Krueger left Housemarque in 2023, he worked on Saros and is credited in the final game.

Arjun from Saros and Selen from Returnal standing together

Should You Play Returnal Before Playing Saros?

Should you play Returnal before Saros? Learn how the games connect, what carries over, and if newcomers can start with Saros first.

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By Ayyoun Ali

Returnal Director Harry Krueger Opens a New Studio Called Cosmic Division

On May 19, Cosmic Division announced its opening with a statement from the CEO and founder Harry Krueger. The formal Returnal director expressed gratitude to Housemarque "for our shared Journey." He went on to outline Cosmic Division's ambition to find "a new edge through fresh themes, ideas, and talent." Seed funding is secured for the studio, but they are still on the lookout for "collaborators, investors, and exceptional talent." Cosmic Division is located in Helsinki, which Housemarque also calls home.

While Cosmic Division made no official game announcement, it still gives some hints as to what its debut title will be. The unannounced game is described as a single-player experience and new IP for consoles and PC that "embodies Cosmic Division's DNA." The studio goes on to label it an "unapologetically gameplay-first experience" that still contains "a story with strong emotional resonance."

Harry Krueger is not the first developer from Housemarque to go their own way after more than a decade with the studio. 2025's Sektori comes from Kimmo Lahtien, who spent 13 years at the Returnal developer before releasing the fast-paced indie shooter. Sektori, on one hand, focuses on challenging, smooth gameplay mixed with an almost overwhelming sensory experience similar to Resogun and Super Stardust HD. Cosmic Division, on the other hand, lists an impactful narrative as one of its game design ambitions, something more in line with the emotional stories featured in Returnal and Saros.

GameRant Quiz

Sony purchased Returnal developer Housemarque in June 2021. Since then, the publisher has shut down several developers, including London Studio and BluePoint Games. The latter was purchased in 2021 as well and did not develop a single game during the time before it was shut down. Being a new studio not backed by big publisher is not necessarily an easier path for Cosmic Division to take, but it most likely offers more creative freedom, and there is no risk of a larger parent company abruptly closing it down. Lack of support from a big publisher means one failed game can close down a studio, so there are pros and cons to both models.