Telltale Games shutting down
#1
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: In the straps of boots
Posts: 27,984
Received 1,181 Likes
on
834 Posts
Telltale Games shutting down
Literally just saw this...
Delete this thread if it turns out to be false.
edit: Gamasutra link that just cites "social media posts from former employees." Nothing concrete yet.
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/32708...osing_down.php
Report: The Walking Dead developer Telltale Games closing down
edit2: The Verge:
https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/21/1...e-walking-dead
PHP Code:
https://twitter.com/patrickklepek/status/1043219244383694851
Delete this thread if it turns out to be false.
edit: Gamasutra link that just cites "social media posts from former employees." Nothing concrete yet.
http://gamasutra.com/view/news/32708...osing_down.php
Report: The Walking Dead developer Telltale Games closing down
edit2: The Verge:
https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/21/1...e-walking-dead
Telltale Games, creators of episodic adventure games like The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, and Batman: The Enemy Within, laid off a large number of its staff today. The company will retain a small team of around 25.
The final season of Telltale’s award-winning series, The Walking Dead, kicked off last month. The second episode is slated to launch next week.
The layoffs come a few months after revelations that Telltale was a studio mired in toxic management that included employees subjected to constant overwork. Once an industry darling, working on iconic brands like Game of Thrones and Minecraft, Telltale quickly spiraled. In June, co-founder and former CEO Kevin Bruner sued the company seeking recovery of financial damages. Telltale described the suit as “meritless” and “an apparent means of extracting revenge on a company already under financial strain.”
The final season of Telltale’s award-winning series, The Walking Dead, kicked off last month. The second episode is slated to launch next week.
The layoffs come a few months after revelations that Telltale was a studio mired in toxic management that included employees subjected to constant overwork. Once an industry darling, working on iconic brands like Game of Thrones and Minecraft, Telltale quickly spiraled. In June, co-founder and former CEO Kevin Bruner sued the company seeking recovery of financial damages. Telltale described the suit as “meritless” and “an apparent means of extracting revenge on a company already under financial strain.”
Last edited by Dan; 09-21-18 at 02:42 PM.
#2
DVD Talk Legend
re: Telltale Games shutting down
The Verge has an article saying there's been layoffs and only around 25 people remain.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/21/1...e-walking-dead
https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/21/1...e-walking-dead
#3
DVD Talk Legend
re: Telltale Games shutting down
Damn that’s a shame. I really like their Batman series and while I’m not a fan of the show their Walking Dead series (at least the seasons I’ve played) are pretty good. The only one that disappointed me was the Back to the Future game which I thought was just okay. Hopefully it’s not true.
#4
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: In the straps of boots
Posts: 27,984
Received 1,181 Likes
on
834 Posts
re: Telltale Games shutting down
I don't know who Joe Parlock is, but he seems to have some connections regarding some details.
PHP Code:
https://twitter.com/joeparlock/status/1043223544639959040
Okay, what I'm hearing from sources I trust is it's a total closure due to bankruptcy. Skeleton crew is finishing off The Walking Dead, and then the whole thing will shut.
Everything else is cancelled. Only The Walking Dead is going ahead now.
According to the same source, Telltale almost didn't get through Spring 2018. The Netflix deal fell apart, which was supposed to save it.
The source also says they believe the publishing arm of Telltale is also done for, too. So the Stranded Deep announcement earlier today won't go ahead now. Not sure about 7 Days to Die yet.
(Which doesn't mean either of those games are cancelled, just no longer published by TT)
Everything else is cancelled. Only The Walking Dead is going ahead now.
According to the same source, Telltale almost didn't get through Spring 2018. The Netflix deal fell apart, which was supposed to save it.
The source also says they believe the publishing arm of Telltale is also done for, too. So the Stranded Deep announcement earlier today won't go ahead now. Not sure about 7 Days to Die yet.
(Which doesn't mean either of those games are cancelled, just no longer published by TT)
#5
DVD Talk Legend
re: Telltale Games shutting down
Crazy. Have they ever really had a bomb since switching over to their current style of games? I know they don't sell like they used to but I figured they were still doing well. Seems like a whole lot of mismanagement from the top.
Shame we'll never get another Wolf Among Us.
Shame we'll never get another Wolf Among Us.
#6
DVD Talk Godfather
re: Telltale Games shutting down
I'm surprised they were in such a bad state, I would have thought the had strong enough partnerships with major companies like DC and Marvel to be sustainable.
That said, I also think they bit off more they could chew taking on everything once Walking Dead was a big hit. They probably should have stayed small and lean and took on projects slowly while refining their gameplay. I think they might have also flooded the market they had.
That said, I also think they bit off more they could chew taking on everything once Walking Dead was a big hit. They probably should have stayed small and lean and took on projects slowly while refining their gameplay. I think they might have also flooded the market they had.
#7
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
re: Telltale Games shutting down
Whoa, that sucks! I love most of their games. They do a good job.
#8
DVD Talk Godfather
re: Telltale Games shutting down
Basically, only the first season of The Walking Dead made money. Everything between that and Minecraft was a financial failure - Wolf, everything post-Season 1 of TWD, Borderlands, Game of Thrones. All failures.
— Joe Parlock (@joeparlock) September 21, 2018
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
#9
DVD Talk Legend
re: Telltale Games shutting down
I don't understand how some of those franchises could possibly fail given how much people like their games. It's not like they were spending $100m on blockbusters but they still got to play with AAA trademarks.
#10
DVD Talk Legend & 2021 TOTY Winner
re: Telltale Games shutting down
I love Telltale games, but I generally tend to wait until they are on sale for really cheap or free from PSN+ (which eventually most of them are).
I'm guessing there are many others like me, and that is the problem.
Should I be scrambling to pick up stuff that I don't have before it is delisted?
I think that the only games that I don't already own in some form are the Michonne game, Batman Season 2, and WD the final season. I'm kicking myself for not picking up the pre-order of WD, because I could have gotten Michonne free with the pre order (which was only $5 more than Michonne by itself).
I'm guessing there are many others like me, and that is the problem.
Should I be scrambling to pick up stuff that I don't have before it is delisted?
I think that the only games that I don't already own in some form are the Michonne game, Batman Season 2, and WD the final season. I'm kicking myself for not picking up the pre-order of WD, because I could have gotten Michonne free with the pre order (which was only $5 more than Michonne by itself).
#12
DVD Talk Godfather
re: Telltale Games shutting down
— Telltale Games (@telltalegames) September 21, 2018
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
#13
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
re: Telltale Games shutting down
#17
DVD Talk God
re: Telltale Games shutting down
That and they did too much. They were good for like a game or two max per year in the past. Seems like the past 2 years or so they had been cranking out at least double that. Wondering if that stretched them thin.
#18
re: Telltale Games shutting down
New update on Telltale, and possibly the last for today. In light of the statement from Telltale and Pete Hawley The Walking Dead Final Season has also been cancelled. The skeleton crew remaining at Telltale is working on Minecraft Story Mode for Netflix.
#19
DVD Talk Legend
re: Telltale Games shutting down
That's a real drag. I've heard a lot of positive buzz for the first episode of the new season. Was going to pick it up over the winter break.
#20
DVD Talk Godfather
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Home of 2013 NFL champion Seahawks
Posts: 52,467
Received 987 Likes
on
818 Posts
re: Telltale Games shutting down
I hate to see them close, but I did get a little burned out on their formula. I got the big multi-pack and haven't played most of it.
#21
re: Telltale Games shutting down
Didn't they move into a huge building and hire a bunch of people a year or two ago? That probably didn't help either. Especially if their games were not selling great, regardless of their review scores. They also never really updated their engines so all the games ended up looking last gen. The massive discounts couldn't help either. I'm sure many were waiting for firesales and for them to show up as the free games of the month. I know I was
#22
DVD Talk Legend
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: NYC
Posts: 17,015
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Telltale Games shutting down
The word is that Telltale was also a real shitshow internally and employees were overworked to the point of exhaustion, far more than the rest of the industry.
#23
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Telltale Games shutting down
Wait, we're not getting the Final Season of TWD? That is the cruelest of twists in a series full of them.
#24
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Telltale Games shutting down
My son is now working in the industry, and works for a great company, so it doesn't have to be like that.
Regarding Telltale, I played the first TWD game and enjoyed it. Started the second and lost interest. I'll try it again, at some point.
I think my biggest disappointment with the first one was being given the appearance that you could make choices in the game, but the story was still going to go the way it wanted. So your choices didn't really affect the results.
Last edited by andicus; 09-22-18 at 10:00 PM. Reason: typo
#25
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Telltale Games shutting down
Honestly, as much as I love Drake, Ratchet, Lara Croft and Kratos, in all honestly, Clementine might be my favorite video game protagonist. I have so much invested in her story. I really hate that it won't have a proper conclusion. I'd donate to that Kickstarter in a heartbeat.