Stunning new Metroidvania released days before layoffs at publisher Humble Games says devs "are now in a difficult situation when it comes to updating the console ports"
Days after its latest game released, Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus publisher Humble Games faced mass layoffs - leaving developer Squid Shock Studios entirely without support for console ports.
Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus, a whimsical Metroidvania inspired by Japanese folklore, launched on July 17 - the week before its publisher Humble Games was affected by layoffs. Indie devs like Squid Shock Studios, the mastermind behind Bo, are now struggling to take care of console updates and QA support as these fell under the publisher's responsibilities. A new announcement from Squid Shock Studios addresses the issue and what's to come.
"We want to give you an update on Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus. We're really proud of how the launch went and it has been great hearing all of your feedback on our game," the dev says. "That being said, our launch hasn't been without its challenges. Most of you will know that our publisher, Humble Games, has effectively shut down, laying off all 36 team members. This took us completely by surprise."
A statement on console ports and future updates. pic.twitter.com/PjElxfnYwPJuly 29, 2024
Squid Shock Studios continues, explaining that the layoffs were "a critical blow to our post-launch support." The team is "now in a difficult situation when it comes to updating the console ports," as both console porting and QA support were "tied into our deal with Humble." The dev says it's "actively pursuing all available avenues" to get updates out for console copies, but it "may take some time to put in place."
Even if it does take longer, Squid Shock Studios assures fans of Bo that all "updates and fixes will come to consoles" eventually. The circumstances mirror Coral Island's "uncertain" future on consoles due to the Humble Games layoffs - the fellow indie dev even left a comment on Squid Shock Studios' post, voicing its solidarity with saluting emojis. Hopefully, both teams find a way through the setbacks so console and PC players alike can enjoy the games.
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