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Welcome to Elk and Dead Pets Unleashed devs “no longer exist” as whole team laid off after bankruptcySay that their upcoming punk-rock narrative drama will still see a release
Say that their upcoming punk-rock narrative drama will still see a release
Image credit:Triple Topping Games
Image credit:Triple Topping Games
In a reminder that 2023 continues to be a rotten ol’ year for the people making games,no matter what Geoff Keighley and Gonzo might tell (or not tell) you, indie devs Triple Topping Games have laid off the entire studio’s staff after declaring bankruptcy.
5 Hidden Gems That Dazzled Us At EGX 2019Watch on YouTube
5 Hidden Gems That Dazzled Us At EGX 2019
After theirthoughtful exploration of relationshipsinnot-as-gross-as-it-soundsbodily-fluids platformerSpitkissin 2018, Triple Topping developed biographical adventure gameWelcome to Elk, a fairly short but touching mix of minigames, visual novel and actual interviews drawn from real-life stories that Katharinecompared to “a challenging piece of arthouse cinema”in its emotional yet sensitively handled exploration of a remote community.
In the time since, Triple Topping have been working onDead Pets Unleashed, theirslice-of-life ode to the rock-punk lifestyle, being in your thirties and trying to get your life together. Like Welcome to Elk, it had plenty of minigames that veered into the wonderfully eclectic and observational, whether saucing up a hot dog, playing uterus pinball or washing a dildo in a sink. A demo was released last year ahead of a planned release in 2024.
An update on Triple Topping, which, sadly, no longer exists.The “official” statement is below.We added details on how to support the team in the thread.pic.twitter.com/4o3pvib5i4— Triple Topping 🤘 Dead Pets Unleashed 🎸 (@TripleTopping)December 8, 2023
An update on Triple Topping, which, sadly, no longer exists.The “official” statement is below.We added details on how to support the team in the thread.pic.twitter.com/4o3pvib5i4
“While 2023 has been an incredible [sic] difficult year across the industry, my own personal health has also not made me fit for being the CEO and leader I aspired to be,” Triple Topping CEO Astrid Refstrup wrote in a post shared to X. “Running a studio is a privilege, a power position an enormous responsibility, and for this last year I was not able to live up to that without consequence to the team I was leading. For the team and partners of the studio: I’m sorry.”
Refstrup added that “good plans are being made” for Welcome to Elk, Ynglet and Dead Pets Unleashed, saying that information on the games’ future “will be shared when ready”. In a separate reply, the Triple Topping X account confirmed that Dead Pets Unleashed will still see a release,with the demo remaining available on Steam.
The studio shared details for staff looking for a job due to the layoffs, urging others in the industry to help those made redundant to find a new place to work. The best of luck to all those affected.
