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Mass Layoffs at Humble Games: A Sign of Troubling Times in the Video Game Industry

In a disconcerting development within the video game industry, Humble Games has reportedly terminated all of its staff. This move marks the latest in a worrying trend of layoffs that show no signs of abating.

On Monday morning, Nicola Kwan, a former employee, disclosed on LinkedIn that Humble Games, the publishing branch of the beloved Humble Bundle storefront, dismissed “all 36 employees.” Humble Games is renowned for publishing critically acclaimed titles such as Slay the Spire, Unsighted, and SIGNALIS.

Humble Games was acquired by digital media giant Ziff Davis Inc. in 2017. Ziff Davis, which also owns major gaming media outlets IGN, Rock Paper Shotgun, and Eurogamer, had previously announced layoffs in November last year. The recent wave of layoffs at Humble Games adds to a staggering 11,200 job losses within the industry this year alone, pushing the combined total of industry-wide layoffs in 2023 and 2024 to approximately 22,000.

In an official statement on the Humble Games Twitter account, a spokesperson described the layoffs as a “difficult but necessary decision,” assuring that upcoming releases like Monaco 2 and Wizard of Legend II would not be affected. The statement characterized the layoffs as a “restructuring of operations,” with no plans to shut down the publisher permanently.

However, former Humble Games creative lead Chris Radley countered this narrative on LinkedIn. “This is NOT a restructuring of operations. This is a total shutdown of #HumbleGames,” Radley asserted. “Operations have been handed off to a third party consultancy. NO staff are left.”

Aftermath obtained a copy of the call in which Ziff Davis president Steve Horowitz informed Humble Games employees of their termination. Horowitz specified that consultancy firm The Powell Group would handle any outstanding work following the layoffs.

The situation took another turn when allegations arose that the statement posted on Humble Games’ Twitter account may have been AI-generated. Both Chris Radley and Larian Studios’ director of publishing Michael Douse suggested this possibility. Humble Games denied the allegation, though the statement’s impersonal tone fueled speculation.

The broader implications of these layoffs are deeply troubling. Despite the video game industry’s projected revenue of over $282 billion this year, the individuals who create the games are increasingly undervalued. As top executives continue to earn substantial bonuses, the frequency of layoffs highlights a growing disconnect within the industry.

This incident is unlikely to be the final round of layoffs in 2023. As the industry grapples with these challenges, the best hope is for affected employees to quickly find new opportunities. The community remains appreciative of their contributions and eagerly anticipates seeing their names in the credits of future games.