Seattle-based video game studio Threshold Games is shutting down, according to a Feb. 9 post on the social media site X.
The company has let its entire team go. In a similar post on LinkedIn, the studio listed 10 employees who have been laid off and encouraged other employers to hire them.
"While the studio had been hard at work on its first game, extenuating circumstances have forced the studio to close," Threshold Games wrote in the LinkedIn post. "We hope these amazing and talented developers can find a new home soon, as any team would be very lucky to have them."
On its website, Threshold says it's an "indie, queer-led studio," and it makes games "that tell diverse stories set in hopeful, defiant futures." The company was founded in 2019, according to its LinkedIn page, and worked fully remotely.
GeekWire first reported the news.
Laid-off employees include roles in art, design and engineering, among others. Threshold's employees came from a variety of studios, including League of Legends maker Riot Games and WB Games.
"We’re sorry we won’t get to fully realize our studio’s vision," the company's LinkedIn post read. "While our project won’t make it to the finish line, we are deeply grateful for our team’s passion, talent, and dedication over the course of development."
Layoffs have plagued the local video game industry in recent months. Bellevue-based Hidden Path Entertainment laid off 44 employees earlier this month, while Bungie, which is behind Halo and Destiny laid off employees in October. Los Angeles-based Riot Games, which is opening a location on Mercer Island, laid off roughly 530 employees in January.
In November, Amazon laid off just over 180 employees from its gaming division. It was the second round of layoffs to Amazon's gaming division in 2023, but the company didn't say at the time which offices would be affected.
