Summary
- The video game industry's closures have left employees jobless and projects unfinished, sparking fan outrage and sympathy.
- New Blood Interactive's LA billboard paid tribute to recently closed studios like Arkane and Tango Gameworks, honoring their legacy.
- Despite recent closures, gamers can look forward to the Summer Game Fest for exciting new game trailers and announcements.
Mere hours before the start of Summer Game Fest, a Los Angeles billboard from publisher New Blood Interactive paid tribute to several recently closed video game studios. The video game industry has been plagued with layoffs and studio shutdowns in recent years, which has affected thousands of developers despite some reports claiming that the medium is seeing unprecedented growth in both popularity and profitability. While the Summer Game Fest offers a chance to look at the future, some fans are still simmering over the past closure of multiple acclaimed studios, such as Arkane Studios, Tango Gameworks, and Volition.
The video game industry's long-running trend of layoffs and shutdowns has led to some of the most well-respected studios in modern gaming forever closing their doors, leaving numerous employees without a job and dozens of unfinished projects in a state of perpetual limbo. Unsurprisingly, the closure of these video game developers garnered both outrage and sympathy from their fans, who have done what they could to remember them for their work on their most acclaimed titles. Now, as one of the biggest gaming events of the season is getting ready to open its doors, one publisher is doing something to remind both players and developers of what the industry has recently lost.
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As shared by video game journalist Stephen Totilo, a Los Angeles billboard paid for by New Blood Interactive – known for publishing critically acclaimed indie titles such as Dusk, Gloomwood, and Amid Evil – paid its respects to several major studios that have ceased operations. This included the recently closed Arkane Studios and Tango Gameworks, which were only shut down back in May 2024, much to Dishonored and Hi-Fi Rush fans' collective disappointment. The billboard also specifically named Volition Inc, Sony's London Studio, and Roll7, alongside every worker who was laid off and "made redundant."
Private Division and Roll7 In Danger Of Closure
Notably, there is some confusion regarding whether Roll7 has actually been shut down. Rumors of the studio's closure surfaced back in early May, with claims stating that its grandparent company, Take-Two Interactive, planned to close the developer. However, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick subsequently denied the rumors but also did not give a direct answer when asked whether Roll7 was still operating. The situation was only complicated by the emergence of another report, which claimed Take-Two was considering closing Private Division, the parent company of Roll7.
Though it's important to remember what the industry has lost, gamers can take comfort in knowing that the medium of video games continues to evolve, and they themselves can look at what the future has in store with the many trailers set to debut this Summer Game Fest. Organized by long-time game journalist Geoff Keighley, the Summer Game Fest promises a glimpse into some of today's most anticipated titles.