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[Draugoth]

Puny Human, a developer formed in 2007 that made Dystopia and Blade Symphony and contributed to a number of high-profile games, is closing down for good. The company will lay off all remaining full-time staff by the end of the year and is taking steps to liquidate assets and sell off select IP. The company will make some of its products open-source. This is happening in part because of a contract dispute.

Puny Human employed 20 full-time staff. Losing the team and the company is "heartbreaking," CEO and studio manager Mike Sanders said. "A client refused previously agreed-upon payments, which deprived us of the cash flow to fully pitch" an in-progress game. This led to "successive failures in our operating income," Sanders said.

"I take full responsibility for not sufficiently preparing for this outcome,"

the CEO explained.

Since 2016, Puny operated as an "outside development vendor" and worked alongside other studios on games like The Callisto Protocol, Trover Saves the Universe, Bard's Tale IV, and Tribes of Midgard.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Man this quarter has been depressive so far, honestly...

 

[Holammer]

Man this quarter has been depressive so far, honestly...

 

[Spyxos]

Unfortunately, we will see this kind of news more often.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Yeah, this has become a huge issue after Covid, and not only tied to this industry.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Unless that client is broke, sue them and try to get money to stay alive.

I'm thinking there's more to the story as any CEO on the fringe wouldnt just let it all go if a business partner didn't pay.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Unless that client is broke, sue them and try to get money to stay alive.

I'm thinking there's more to the story as any CEO on the fringe wouldnt just let it all go if a business partner didn't pay.

More often than not, that’s the issue too. Clients aren’t getting their funding anymore for issues they’re dealing with. It’s like a domino effect of shit.

 

[TVexperto]

name and shame, what studio didnt pay them?

 

[TransTrender]

Name names already
You have nothing left to lose

 

[Puscifer]

Name names already
You have nothing left to lose

name and shame, what studio didnt pay them?

If we're giving them the benefit of the doubt here sometimes shutting up in certain industries is the only way you can remain employable, especially in technical and creative spaces. Not going into the finer details a buddy of mine is basically barred from video game marketing after he had the audacity to say that Infamous Second Son was a great launch window game but he was more interested in what Sucker Punch did afterwards (which honestly, how is this NOT reasonable opinion?) Someone screenshot it and the indication was he was talking shit about studios and he hasn't worked in the industry again. He still does marketing but not for gaming which is bullshit.

 

[ReBurn]

Unless that client is broke, sue them and try to get money to stay alive.

I'm thinking there's more to the story as any CEO on the fringe wouldnt just let it all go if a business partner didn't pay.

By the time they make it to court they would probably be out of cash and have to close anyway. They may win but not in enough time to save the company.

 

[ChiefDada]

Unless that client is broke, sue them and try to get money to stay alive.

I'm thinking there's more to the story as any CEO on the fringe wouldnt just let it all go if a business partner didn't pay.

Civil suits and the legal system in general is very expensive. I worked with construction/real estate clients early in my career and contract disputes happen all the time. The subcontractors are always at the mercy of the general contractor, regardless of what the contract stipulates. So if you can't find adequate liquidity to fight in court, you're SOL.