Popular game developer Telltale Games is reportedly shutting its doors soon, according to co-founder Kevin Bruner. This follows the large layoff of staff back in November 2017, as well as a lawsuit by the aforementioned co-founder. According to The Verge, more staff were laid off earlier today, leaving only a small team of 25 employees. Additionally, The Verge reports that the dismissed employees did not receive any severance pay.

Kevin Bruner has published a statement on his personal blog, reflecting his sorrow for the employees that lost their jobs.

Today, I’m mostly saddened for the people who are losing their jobs at a studio they love. And I’m also saddened at the loss of a studio that green-lit crazy ideas that no one else would consider. I’m comforted a bit knowing there are now so many new talented people and studios creating games in the evolving narrative genre. While I look forward to those games and new developments, and continuing to contribute, I will always find “A Telltale Game” to have been a unique offering.

Telltale Games most recently released the first episode of The Walking Dead: The Final Season, with the second episode to release next week.

UPDATE: The official Telltale Games Twitter handle has released a statement.

pic.twitter.com/evqg5X98WZ

— Telltale (@telltalegames) September 21, 2018

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Kevin Bruner's blog post

The Verge report

 

[RedBlueGreen]

That's what happens when you make your games like DVD Interactive Mini-games instead of an actual game.
I can't say I'm moved by this, as I never understood why people used to like this kind of "games" when they barely have any gameplay to call it one.

But hey, at least they are moving on, and hopefully towards more embracing games.

Visual novels do decently for being so niche, and they're definitely some of my favorite games. But they're a lot more story heavy like reading a book.

Telltale is shutting down so they're not moving on, and I wouldn't say the employees are moving on since they were let go. Moving on implies that you had a choice and chose something better for yourself. They got sacked, that's it.

 

[Edgarska]

but I heard that nothing sold quite as well as their first season of the walking dead, only gettting worse with every new title.

Just like the quality of their games.

 

[Deleted User]

That means no wolf amoung us season 2 or telltale batman season 3 Thats too bad.

 

[djnate27]

Oh well.
Bought TWD: 1st Season on PS3. PS3 died before I could play it. Sony wouldn't let me download the game to my PS4 or Vita. They wanted me to repurchase it. Haven't played a Telltale game since.

 

[ut2k4master]

pic.twitter.com/evqg5X98WZ

— Telltale (@telltalegames) September 21, 2018

 

[Pluupy]

Good riddance. I hate their incomplete games. They're just as bad as those "early access" games.

 

[Darth Meteos]

goddamn it, those games were incredible

 

[Jayro]

RIP good Lego games...

 

[ut2k4master]

RIP good Lego games...

wrong dev

 

[smileyhead]

I hope they will still release the 2nd and 3rd season of TWD for the Switch.

Definitely not. All of the employees who weren't substantial for the closure were released. There's no one left to port the games and even if there were, there's no point in releasing games when they are already closing.

 

[KingBlank]

Well, they are not really a game developer after all - a visual novel developer?

 

[Foxi4]

The company must've been terribly mismanaged, most of their games were absolute hits.

 

[KingVamp]

Anyone think they will be bought by another company?

 

[Deleted User]

It sucks that they've lost their jobs, but it is what it is.

 

[Roamin64]

I'm not the biggest fan of how Telltale made their games, I've only really played Back to the future and Monkey island , because I'm a real sucker for both series. I'm more concerned to what happens now to our digital purchases ? Are the removing the DRM from them? In the end I don't really care I guess.. Their version of monkey island always freezes for me , while a pirated copy doesn't... Maybe I should download all the stuff I own from them now..

 

[Spunky247]

Hard to believe... I always thought, that they earn a lot of money with their games

 

[dude1]

Hard to believe... I always thought, that they earn a lot of money with their games

they did but they mismanaged and thus spent a lot

its too bad, I wanted TWD to finish as well as proper closure on wolf among us.
it feels like they gambled too hard on big names ike batman, gaurdians of the galaxy, GOT, borderlands minecraft to name a few.
it burnt out all but the most hardcore fans on that type of game and now we are left with a bunch of half finished stuff.

 

[eriol33]

Their games have a limited audience. I am not surprised they got a revenue loss from let's plays

 

[the_randomizer]

Never saw the appeal of TWD, thought it was overrated.

 

[Deleted member 331788]

Anyone think they will be bought by another company?

...SEGA!!