Telltale Games cuts 25% of its workforce

Narrative games specialist Telltale has announced sweeping job losses across the company.

The developer of The Walking Dead has shed around 90 positions, representing a quarter of its total workforce.

As part of the restructuring, Telltale says that it intends to make some tech changes that will encourage faster turnaround and allow it to be more competitive as both a developer and publisher.

“Our industry has shifted in tremendous ways over the past few years," Telltale CEO Pete Hawley said. "The realities of the environment we face moving forward demand we evolve, as well, reorienting our organization with a focus on delivering fewer, better games with a smaller team.

"I’d like to express our respect for all the contributions that these incredibly talented artists, storytellers and more have made to this company, and that this decision is in no way a reflection on the quality or dedication of their work. We have made available our full career assistance services to help our affected colleagues and friends – and their families – navigate this difficult transition as quickly as possible."

The studio has a rich history of partnering with big license holders for games based on popular series and characters. Its catalogue includes the likes of Sam & Max, Monkey Island, CSI, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, Law & Order, The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, Borderlands, Game of Thrones, Minecraft, Batman and Guardians of the Galaxy.

In 2015 TV and film production company Lionsgate bought into Telltale and the pair announced plans to develop what it described as ‘Super Shows’ – hybrid TV/game ventures that would be offered through emerging platforms. Former EA man John Riccitiello also joined the board.

Original co-founder Kevin Bruner stepped down from the company earlier this year, with former Zynga VP Pete Hawley taking over as CEO.