British indie developer Bithell Games has shed the “majority” of its full-time staff, just weeks after the launch of its time-loop action game Tron: Catalyst, after failing to land a new large-scale project.
That amounts to 11 team members being made redudant, Bithell Games boss Mike Bithell announced today in a statement posted to social media, and an uncertain future for what the studio will do next.
“It became clear leading up to the release of our most recent game that we were not immune to the challenges faced by many game development teams seeking funding partners in 2024 and 2025,” Bithell wrote. “We’ve fortunately been able to communicate these challenges ahead of time, and work with affected staff to ease departures as much as possible via severance packages.”
Bithell Games previously worked on Tron: Identity, a mix of puzzle game and visual novel that acted as a proof of concept for the studio to work with Disney on its sci-fi franchise.
Prior to those games, the studio found fame for its tactical RPG John Wick Hex, after early success with its indie darlings Thomas Was Alone and Volume.
“It’s important to state that this was an incredible team of exceptionally talented people,” Bithell continued. “If you’re a developer reading this, and you’re hiring, anyone among those affected would be a great addition to your studio. Please reach out if we can help to put you in touch.
“This news will not impact the availability of our existing self-published games and ongoing support for them. We are incredibly grateful for our audience, and hope that your interest in our work follows individual team members as they head into other roles. Bithell Games was always defined and elevated by our people. Today we are less.”
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
