Supermassive Games CEO Robert Henrysson Steps Down After Directive 8020
Supermassive Games is entering another leadership transition as Chief Executive Officer Robert Henrysson prepares to leave the studio and his partner position at parent company Nordisk Games. Graeme Law will assume the role of interim Chief Executive Officer while the company determines its longer term leadership structure.
Nordisk Games confirmed the change through an official LinkedIn statement, explaining that Henrysson had decided to step away after completing the leadership mandate he accepted in 2024. Law will work alongside the existing management team, Nordisk Film Chief Financial Officer Morgan Habedank, and Avalanche Studios Group Chief Executive Officer Stefanía Halldórsdóttir to maintain business continuity.
Henrysson joined Nordisk Games full time as a partner in 2022 and later supported several companies within its portfolio during a period of major disruption across the gaming industry. He served as chairman and interim Chief Executive Officer of Avalanche Studios Group before replacing Supermassive Games cofounder Pete Samuels as studio leader in January 2024.
“During his time, he rebuilt the studio’s leadership team, sharpened its strategy and oversaw the completion and launch of Directive 8020.”
— Nordisk Games
According to Nordisk Games, Henrysson joined Supermassive with a clear objective to guide the studio through the development and delivery of Directive 8020. The science fiction horror game launched on May 12, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, meaning the leadership change arrives less than 2 months after its commercial release.
Nordisk described Directive 8020 as receiving the strongest critical response in The Dark Pictures series, although the company did not specify the metric used for that assessment. Metacritic currently lists the game at 72 on PlayStation 5 and PC, with the Xbox Series X|S version at 68. Those results place its reception within the mixed or average category rather than indicating a universal critical breakthrough.
Henrysson also published a personal departure statement, describing his time at Nordisk Games and Supermassive as a rewarding chapter. He credited the wider studio team for navigating industry disruption, expanding the company’s client base, and introducing a stronger focus on consistent production quality.
“Our commitment to continuous improvement was, and continues to be, central to everything we do.”
— Robert Henrysson
Henrysson said he plans to spend the summer with his family while continuing to manage a small investment portfolio. He remains open to selected advisory positions and future opportunities within the gaming industry, with his statement indicating that he expects to attend Gamescom.
His departure follows a demanding production period for Supermassive Games. The studio released Little Nightmares III in October 2025 before launching Directive 8020 in May 2026. Little Nightmares III currently holds a Metacritic score of 71 on PlayStation 5, while its player rating remains lower at 5.7. The game received praise for its visual direction and atmosphere, but criticism focused on repetition, artificial intelligence behavior, and limited innovation.
Supermassive is best known for its work on Until Dawn, The Quarry, and The Dark Pictures Anthology, but the future of the Until Dawn franchise is now being handled by another PlayStation studio. Sony officially announced that Firesprite Games is developing Until Dawn 2 for PlayStation 5, with release planned for 2027. The sequel introduces a new cast of ghost hunters and a standalone story while retaining the original game’s choice and consequence structure.
The sequel also ranked among the most discussed announcements surrounding the June 2026 showcase season, as highlighted in Summer Game Fest 2026 engagement. Its visibility shows that the Until Dawn name continues to carry strong audience recognition, even without Supermassive Games directing its next chapter.
Henrysson’s exit appears to be positioned as the completion of a specific operational assignment rather than an unexpected removal. Nordisk Games directly stated that his mandate was to rebuild leadership, refine strategy, and deliver Directive 8020. With the game now released, the company is presenting this transition as the beginning of a new phase.
Even so, the timing will attract attention. Supermassive has experienced substantial organizational pressure, project delays, workforce reductions, and mixed critical results during the past several years. Changing leadership less than 2 months after a major release introduces another period of uncertainty for a studio whose reputation has traditionally depended on stable creative direction and a recognizable approach to cinematic horror.
Graeme Law’s immediate priority will likely be maintaining production stability while Nordisk Games evaluates Supermassive’s next strategic direction. The company must determine whether it continues expanding The Dark Pictures format, pursues external publishing partnerships, or develops new intellectual property capable of recreating the cultural impact of Until Dawn.
The situation also highlights how difficult leadership continuity has become across the modern gaming sector. Studios are being asked to manage longer production cycles, higher budgets, changing publisher expectations, and inconsistent commercial performance. Supermassive still holds a valuable position within narrative horror, but its next leadership team will need to transform that creative identity into a more predictable and sustainable business model.
What direction should Supermassive Games take under its next permanent leader, more Dark Pictures games, a new horror franchise, or another major licensed project?
