Developers at Humble Games informed of the company's closure
Update, July 25, 2024: Ex-Humble employees have contested the company's announcement about its restructuring, arguing it downplays the significant effect on staff.
An anonymous individual affected by the downsizing informed GamesIndustry.biz that the company's statement is "patently incorrect," stressing that the entire Humble Games team lost their jobs this week.
The move appears to involve transitioning operations to The Powell Group, a third-party consultancy that will manage all remaining game projects. During a meeting with Steve Horowitz, leader of Ziff Davis's shopping and tech division, it was suggested that laid-off workers might find other roles within Ziff Davis or at The Powell Group.
Aftermath reported similar accounts, quoting a former Humble Games team member who described the restructuring claim as "a facade, but that's a lie."
The website also references Chris Radley, an ex-Humble Games employee who departed in 2022. Radley asserted on LinkedIn that the situation is not a mere "restructuring" but a complete "shutdown of Humble Games" with no staff left internally.
GamesIndustry.biz sought further comments, but Humble Games and Ziff Davis have declined to provide any additional statements at this time.
Update, 8.59pm: Humble Games affirmed it is not shutting down but restructuring. The company assured that upcoming releases will proceed as planned.
In communication with GamesIndustry.biz, Humble Games stated:
"Given the tough economic landscape for indie game publishing, Humble Games had to take the difficult decision to reorganize. This was not done lightly; it was a decision reached after considerable thought, aimed at securing stability and continued support for our developers and ongoing projects. This restructuring will not impact operations at Humble Bundle.
"We understand the significant influence of this decision on our Humble Games team and feel deep empathy for all affected. Our team members have been instrumental in our success since 2017. We are dedicated to handling this change with respect and understanding.
"Our top priority remains supporting our developers and assisting former staff during this transition. We are committed to making this process as smooth as it can be for everyone. Thank you for your patience and support during these trying times. It means a lot."
Original story: Reports suggest that Humble Games is closing down.
According to former developers, all 36 employees were abruptly laid off this morning and informed that the company would be ceasing operations.
Humble Games is a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, which also owns GamesIndustry.biz parent Gamer Network.
Despite no formal announcement from Humble Games regarding the closure, their social media handles, including X/Twitter, were active earlier today, engaging with players about their latest release, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus.
"At 9AM this morning, 36 Humble Games employees were informed of our layoffs and told the company is shutting down," said former BizDev executive Niki Kwan, who recounted the events on LinkedIn.
"The gaming industry is highly volatile, filled with individuals aiming for exponential growth at the cost of producing quality games with skilled teams," commented former 2D artist, Emilee Kieffer.
"Executives and billionaires are seeing record profits while the employees, who are the true creators, suffer. However, I believe we can build studios that prioritize game developers over those who view us merely as profit generators," Kieffer added.
