[Update] Walking Dead Studio Telltale Games Lays off Entire Workforce, Almost

Telltale Games has provided an official statement on their Twitter account:

You can read the original news story below.

The Renowned Game Development Studio Is Down to a Skeleton Crew

Telltale Games, the studio behind such acclaimed titles as The Wolf Among Us, The Walking Dead, and Batman, is shutting down. Official word is pending, but before the time of this writing, devs reported the closure across social media. At the time of this writing, sources have confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that the closure is real. All but 25 of the 250 employees will stay to conclude development of The Walking Dead’s final season.

Telltale Games

If this news sounds familiar, that’s because we’re talking about the same company that laid off 25% of its workforce nearly the same time last year. In the aftermath, the internet reached out through a list of game development jobs to shelter the unemployed devs. The same is true this time around, thanks to this google doc full of open positions at several studios. More and more companies add their names to the list as we speak. What is worse about this particular instance, however, is that a much larger workforce must now seek applications.

The troubles of last year may have cascaded into the troubles we’re seeing now. Aside from the skeleton crew left to finish The Walking Dead, information surrounding the studio shut down is scarce. But in the months leading to the present, Telltale has fueled the fires of controversy through reports of a toxic work environment, stagnation, and overwork. In the shakeup that resulted in a company-wide restructure, including the decommissioning of their engine, circumstances at the company apparently soured.

All other Telltale projects, including The Wolf Among Us 2, have been canceled. This is a developing story, and we’ll provide updates on the studio’s IPs and personnel as they become available.

 

 

Related Posts


The Expanse: A Telltale Series Steam Launch Date Unveiled

Fables Creator Announces The Wolf Among Us Universe is in the Public Domain

Opening Beta Tests Have Begun for The Walking Dead: Betrayal

The Walking Dead Destinies Lets You Replay the AMC Series

The Expanse: A Telltale Series – Episode 1 Review – A Cosmic Return
Next
Insomniac Says Spider-Man Could Become Their Best Selling Title Ever
Previous
Hackers Have Already Busted into Nintendo Switch’s NES Library