The gaming publisher Versus Evil announces its closure and lays off all employees just 2 days before Christmas. The indie publisher was founded in 2013 and released some great games: Especially “The Banner Saga” still enjoys a great reputation on Steam with 93% positive reviews.
For which games is the publisher “Versus Evil” known?
- The tactical RPG series “The Banner Saga” has 3 parts, with the first one being praised for its narrative density and a great melancholic atmosphere. Part 1 stands at 88% positive reviews on Steam.
- The RPG “Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire” from 2018 achieved 87% positive reviews on Steam.
- Furthermore, the publisher has released several other titles such as Almighty: Kill Your Gods or Into the Dead 2.
Indie publisher known for some RPG gems
This is the story behind the studio: “Versus Evil” was founded in 2013 by Steve Escalante, the former marketing director of Zenimax Online Studios, the then parent company of Bethesda. The publisher was supposed to focus on the indie gaming market.
In November 2021, Versus Evil was purchased by “tinyBuild”. Now Versus Evil closes just a few weeks after Escalante left the studio.
What is being said about the closure? The publisher officially states on X:
“Today is a sad day. After 10 wonderful years, Versus Evil is closing its doors.”
It sounds much harsher from the production head. He writes:
“The entire team at Versus Evil has just been fired. Let me be clear: This was not the wish of Versus Evil nor our decision.”
Trouble with the new owner
What is the reason? As reported by Polygon, the new owner of the publisher, tinyBuild, was apparently dissatisfied with the profitability of Versus Evil. They were labeled as “under-performers”: Three of the troubled children’s games that were supposed to be released in 2023 have been postponed to 2024.
There seems to have been a dispute between the new owners and the previous heads of Versus Evil. The founders are said to have accused the new owners of not financially supporting the publisher as promised in 2022 and 2023. Founder Escalante left the studio.
With the closure of Versus Evil, 13 employees lose their jobs just 2 days before Christmas. As Polygon reports, approximately 9,000 people lost their jobs in the gaming industry in 2023.
2023 was generally a tough year for the gaming world. Even in Germany, long-established gaming institutions closed:
LoL: Summoner’s Inn closes after a former employee stabbed them on Twitch
