The recent news of all 36 employees of Humble Games publishing being laid off has sent shockwaves through the gaming industry. According to business developer Nicola Kwan, the staff were informed of this decision early in the morning, with the reasoning given that “the company is shutting down.” However, Humble Games disputes this, stating that the publishing label is simply undergoing restructuring rather than a complete shutdown.
Despite Humble’s statement attributing the events to “challenging economic times for indie game publishing” and claiming that the decision to lay off employees was a necessary one, former employees and industry insiders have raised doubts about the true nature of the situation. Chris Radley, Humble’s former creative lead, publicly disputed the claim of restructuring, stating that Humble Games has completely shut down and that operations have been handed over to a third-party consultancy.
The aftermath of these layoffs has been felt deeply within the gaming community. Former employees have spoken out, revealing that Humble Games had not signed any projects for the future, leading to speculation that parent company Ziff Davis’s decision to shut down the publishing label was not a rational one. This decision is seen as detrimental to indie development in the long run and has left employees and ongoing projects in limbo.
Further adding to the controversy, a recording of the morning meeting where the layoffs were announced revealed that Ziff Davis had attempted to sell Humble Games twice before, without success. The revelation that no viable offers were received and that the remaining publishing projects are being handed over to a third-party consulting firm raises questions about the company’s decision-making process and future direction.
This recent round of layoffs at Humble Games is not an isolated incident. It is the second round of layoffs in recent months, following a previous round where an unspecified number of staff from the publishing arm were let go. This pattern of layoffs raises concerns about the stability of the company and the wellbeing of its employees.
The layoffs at Humble Games have highlighted the volatile nature of the game industry and the challenges faced by those working in it. Former Senior QA Emilee Kieffer expressed her frustration, stating that the industry is driven by a desire for exponential growth at the expense of the people who actually create the games. This human cost of corporate decisions is a stark reminder of the realities faced by those working in the gaming industry.
The downfall of Humble Games publishing serves as a cautionary tale for the gaming industry as a whole. It highlights the importance of transparency, accountability, and empathy in corporate decision-making, and the need to prioritize the well-being of employees and the future of indie game development.