Former Lab Zero employees form independent studio Future Club

The Future is Now

A team of former Lab Zero Games employees have come together to form a brand new, independently owned studio. Future Club has been born out of the ashes of the Lab Zero controversy, which saw a huge exodus of staff after multiple accusations of sexual harassment and toxic behavior against Lab Zero head Mike Zaimont.

Future Club is headed up by CEO/Producer Francesca Esquenazi, who will lead a team comprised of creative director Mariel “Kinuko” Cartwright, senior animator Jonathan Kim and game designer Earl Gertwagen. In all, Future Club’s staff consists of 15 former Lab Zero employees, some of whom worked on 2012’s excellent fighting title Skullgirls and 2019’s aesthetically fantastic RPG, Indivisible.

“We wanted to start fresh with a company structure that was worker-owned and gave everyone a say in the future of our organization,” said Esquenazi on the studio’s new site. “Future Club is established with the belief that strong teams are greater than the sum of their parts. We value open, honest communication with peers, partners and players, and take pride in our strength as a team.”

Future Club will now begin producing games based on its own original IPs. Given the team’s pedigree for creating engaging titles filled with beautiful locations, instantly lovable characters, and emotionally resonant narratives, this new studio is definitely one to watch in the next generation of gaming. I’m already excited for their first project!