Take-Two Reportedly Looking to Sell or Shutdown Roll7, Intercept Games, and Private Division
Reports have surfaced indicating that Take-Two, the publisher behind Grand Theft Auto and Borderlands, is considering selling or shutting down two of its development studios – Roll7, known for OlliOlli World, and Intercept Games, the studio behind Kerbal Space Program 2. Additionally, there are rumors of the indie label Private Division facing a similar fate.
Despite earlier statements by Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick denying any plans to close its indie teams, sources have confirmed to IGN that the closures are indeed imminent. Intercept Games is said to be closing its doors on June 28th, as mandated by the Washington State WARN Act. Roll7 is also reportedly in the process of winding down operations.
While a skeleton crew will remain to support ongoing projects like Moon Studios’ No Rest for the Wicked and Wêtä Workshop’s Tales of the Shire, Private Division has allegedly terminated projects with developers like One More Level and Bloober Team. The majority of the staff at Private Division were let go in April, prompting rumors of a potential sale of the label to a private equity firm.
Insiders have pointed fingers at Take-Two leadership, including Private Division head Michael Worosz, for setting unreasonable sales targets and rushing game releases. The handling of Kerbal Space Program 2 has been highlighted as a prime example of this practice.
One source close to the situation expressed admiration for the talented team at Private Division while criticizing Take-Two’s lack of concern for its employees. The source emphasized the dedication of the team and their love for the projects they worked on.
This news comes on the heels of previous layoffs at Private Division in March 2023, which management described as necessary steps for future success. The video game industry as a whole has seen over 10,000 job losses this year, with the total number of layoffs reaching 10,100 as of now. Comparatively, the industry experienced 10,500 layoffs in the entirety of 2023, indicating a concerning trend for 2024.