Telltale Games has reportedly laid off most of their staff
Telltale Games has reportedly laid off most of their staff
This is a sore subject, but I feel it necessary to add to the gaming layoff news: Telltale laid most of us off early September. Status of TWAU2, I can't say (NDA).
Now, I focus on what matters to me—my own game, and the following words:
Games industry, we must UNIONIZE.
[...]
I signed an agreement not to cause any harm to Telltale's business as part of my severance package. But I am legally allowed to speak on behalf of being laid off, and this statement of fact is sincerely not an attempt to cause harm or ruination to the company.
Additional non-contract breaking details: I originally re-joined Telltale because I've always wanted to work on TWAU2 (as a fan of the original). Our team was very small and I was genuinely excited for the game. Telltale has yet to publicize any of what has happened.
Well, there goes any hope for The Wolf Among Us 2. How terrible, I hope the devs at least got a good severance package.
Genuinely thought they folded years ago
They did. Telltale Incorporated folded in 2018. In 2019 LCG Entertainment bought the Telltale name, licensed their content and said, "We are Telltale Games now. We are going to do what Telltale was doing because that's what we are: Telltale Games. But not that other Telltale that owes that money to people, that's a different company."
"Also, employees of that other telltale that we are definitely not can go fuck themselves.
They're free to try and come back as expendable, independent contractors if they want."
The games industry is getting absolutely hammered by this stuff.
If there's a game currently in development, that doesn't have the backing of a large company and has more than 5 people working on it, there's a good chance its going to get canned because venture capitol backers aren't going to pick up the next bill.
To be fair the entire tech industry too is getting hammered. Times are hard on smaller companies, and it doesn't seem to be getting better. I'm hearing about layoffs every few days now.
They are going to bankruptcy harder.