Wattam and Luna developer Funomena will shut down this week, according to a report from People Make Games’ Chris Bratt. The studio’s employees will reportedly receive their final paycheck this Friday, and all contractors at the indie studio were let go as of last Wednesday.
This announcement has caught many employees by surprise, who now find themselves looking for other work, with their last paycheck coming this Friday.
If you're in a position to hire, there are plenty of people who could use your help right now.
— Chris Bratt (@chrisbratt) March 29, 2022
The decision to shut down Funomena arrives less than two weeks after separate reporting from People Make Games highlighted toxic work culture at the indie studio. Current and former staff put a vast majority of the blame on former thatgamecompany producer and studio co-founder Robin Hunicke. They accused the celebrated indie dev of emotional abuse, saying she fostered a toxic, unprofessional environment.
“She is the instigator of a huge amount of toxicity at Funomena, and has caused significant emotional distress to a large number of employees,” read a statement from a group of current and former employees. “This is particularly galling when you consider her public-facing personality, for which she is celebrated as a champion of inclusivity and empathy, but which contrasts starkly with her conduct behind closed doors.”
Hunicke eventually responded to the allegations on Twitter. Then the indie studio head offered an apology as she worked to “figure out next steps.”
https://twitter.com/hunicke/status/1506074848929337344
Unfortunately, it seems those next steps will see Funomena closing its doors. The studio has yet to offer an official comment on the report of its closure.
