Gas Powered Games sees layoffs, might close Kickstarter

Studio behind Dungeon Siege and Supreme Commander

When thinking of what-if scenarios that you wouldn’t want to happen while running a Kickstarter campaign, I feel like “layoffs” would be up there pretty high. Days after seeking crowdfunding support for its action-RPG/RTS Wildman, Gas Powered Games has been hit with exactly that.

Kotaku was first to break the news after hearing reports that almost everyone at the Redmond, Washington-based studio had been laid off. CEO Chris Taylor confirmed to the outlet that “We do have a layoff, and we’ll be updating our Kickstarter as well with details as well very soon,” however the actual number of employees let go is not known at this time.

In an update, Taylor posted a video response saying that a “substantial number of the team” had been laid off. The reasoning, he says, is to avoid a potentially failed Kickstarter resulting in a shut-down Gas Powered and no severance pay for anyone. Taylor then asks if the campaign should continue and, if the numbers improve, hire those back who have not found new jobs by its conclusion, or if he had just as well shut it down now.

“I think a good many of the [affected] folks will be watching the campaign, should it continue, and will be in immediate contact with me to come back and make it,” Taylor told us. “I do expect that many people will get jobs quickly, but hey, that’s still a good thing in this economy.”

Massive Layoffs Crush Gas Powered Games Just Days After Launch Of $1.1 Million Kickstarter [Kotaku]