Summary
- Hothead Games shut down due to a failed major project, leading to bankruptcy.
- The closure follows a trend in the industry, with over 14,850 layoffs and several studio shutdowns in 2024.
- Hothead Games had 51-200 staff members before closing.
Canadian developer Hothead Games has shut down, according to its president. The indie game studio focused on releasing mobile titles in recent years.
Founded in 2006, Hothead Games was a Vancouver-based development studio that created Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness and DeathSpank, as well as the mobile franchises Rivals at War, Kill Shot, and Big Win. It was started by former members of Radical Entertainment, the Activision subsidiary that is known by many for its Crash Bandicoot entries and the action-packed Prototype games.
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According to a LinkedIn post by Hothead Games President and CEO Ian Wilkinson, the company closed its doors for the final time on December 13 after an unnamed in-development project that was tied to a major property failed to materialize. The contracts for the mobile and console versions of the game were ready to be settled, but the publisher for the former version pulled out due to a change in strategy and the console side later followed suit. Hothead Games, which was able to produce a playable build of the project in the past year, ended up going bankrupt following these events, Wilkinson said. Between 51 and 200 people worked at the studio, according to its LinkedIn page.
Indie Studio Hothead Games Announces Bankruptcy, Closure
Some of Hothead Games' latest launches include the free-to-play mobile titles Big Win Football 2024, Box Office Tycoon, and Idle Property Manager Tycoon. Hothead Games attempted to shift back to doing contractual and porting gigs before it closed down, Wilkinson said.
Hothead Games' closure comes after developer Humanoid Origin announced its shutdown in late November. The studio, which was founded by Mass Effect series co-creator Casey Hudson, revealed that it was unable to continue operating due to an unexpected funding deficit. Humanoid Origin was working on a character-driven AAA game that was set in an all-new sci-fi universe prior to its closure. Just like Hothead Games, Humanoid Origin had between 51 and 200 staff members.
More than 14,850 people have been laid off in the video game industry in 2024, according to a publicly available tally maintained by journalist Mike Straw. A developer that recently announced dismissals was 11 Bit Studios, the creator of the Frostpunk series. An undisclosed number of 11 Bit Studios employees will be laid off following the cancelation of a console-focused game called Project 8, the company told investors. More than half of the team that worked on the scrapped title will receive offers to transition to existing teams or to new ones for initiatives that have yet to be announced, CEO and Management Board President Przemek Marszal assured.
- Released
- July 13, 2010
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Hothead Games
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Multiplayer
- Local Co-Op
WHERE TO PLAY
For uncounted years, DeathSpank has been a Dispenser of Justice, a Vanquisher of Evil, and a Hero to the Downtrodden. DeathSpank has long searched for a powerful artifact called….The Artifact. Forged by unknown hands for unknown purposes some unknown time in the past, The Artifact is now within DeathSpank’s reach. What is The Artifact?
The Epic Humor of Ron Gilbert – Ron Gilbert brings his hilarious brand of witty humor and ridiculous dialog to a whole new genre in one of the most epic stories ever told involving a hero and his quest to find The Artifact.
Two-Player Local “Sidekick” Co-op – Recruit a friend to fight by your side as your heroic sidekick and work your way together through hellacious dungeons and a mysterious land. Local co-op requires a controller for the second player.
Explore a Massive World – The world of DeathSpank is massive and full of tons of unique and hilarious characters, dangerous foes, diverse landscapes, and chickens...lots of chickens.
