Looking Glass Broken

Word from inside Looking Glass Studios has spread to forums and fan sites to confirm early reports yesterday that the studio responsible for the critically acclaimed Thief series and System Shock 2 has ceased operations.

The company's Cambridge, Mass., office closed today and will soon go to new tenants. Looking Glass' closure has been attributed to financial issues, which were nearly avoided by the company's efforts to secure financial aid from publishers.

Randy Smith, a designer of Thief said in an open letter to fans, "Sadly, there is a low chance that Thief 3 will ever see the light of day, and it's even less likely that if it did, a majority of LG folks would be involved."

Looking Glass was widely appreciated for its innovation and ability to meld an involving story with richly textured game environments. Eidos (publisher of Thief) and Electronic Arts (publisher of System Shock) have yet to officially comment on the studio's fate.