Driver FixRecommendedSound, Wi-Fi or graphics acting up? Check drivers firstFind missing or outdated drivers fast.Check DriversOctober DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsSlow PC?RecommendedPC slow today? Run a repair scan before it gets worseResolve common Windows issues and optimize system performance.Scan Now×
Skip to content
The Finance Base
The Money Desk · Blog
Re:

How Making Journey Left Thatgamecompany Out of Money—and What Happened Next

Journey won major 2013 awards, but Jenova Chen said its delayed development left Thatgamecompany out of money around the time it shipped to Sony.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Thatgamecompany’s Journey earned major recognition, but its extended development also left the studio short of cash. In a 2013 interview with Dean Takahashi, cofounder Jenova Chen said the game shipped about a year later than planned, after staff had spent six months on half salaries; the company ran out of money around the time it delivered the game to Sony. The account describes a severe cash crisis, not a documented formal bankruptcy proceeding.

How the development delay became a cash crisis

Chen’s account, published by GamesBeat on February 8, 2013, describes a project that took longer than the studio had planned. The team had expected to ship Journey about a year earlier. To keep working during the delay, staff got by on half salaries for six months, according to the interview. GamesBeat says the company ran out of money around the time it shipped the game to Sony. GamesBeat’s interview with Jenova Chen was updated on June 18, 2025.

Why the team accepted the delay

The interview presents the extra time as a quality decision: Chen said an earlier release would have left the game unpolished. That choice helped the team finish the experience it wanted, but the reported half salaries and cash shortage show the financial cost of extending production.

What “bankrupt” means in this account

The headline’s word “bankrupt” should not be read as evidence of a court-supervised bankruptcy. GamesBeat reports that the company ran out of money and that staff were idled, but the sources cited here do not document a bankruptcy filing or insolvency proceeding. The established point is narrower: by the time the game shipped, the studio faced a cash crisis serious enough to leave it without funds and its team inactive.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Journey: Collector's Edition [PlayStation 4, PS4] [video game]
  • Import Version - Game fully playable in English - Box in Nordic
  • PLEASE NOTE : Region Free / Compatible with US PS4 (only DLC may requires to create an european PSN account)

Why a two-hour game took three years

Journey took three years to develop, according to the 2013 listing for Chen’s Designing Journey session at GDC. The listing describes it as a two-hour game and says the talk covered concept development, design iteration, the emotional arc, and production lessons. That contrast—three years of work for a relatively short playthrough—helps explain why schedule, polish, and production demands mattered, though the listing does not give a budget or quantify the studio’s shortfall.

What recognition followed the release

GamesBeat reported that Journey won eight awards from 11 DICE nominations in 2013, including Game of the Year and Best Game Director for Chen. These were awards reported in that specific awards context; they do not mean the game won every outlet’s or organization’s game-of-the-year honor. GamesBeat also described it as the best-selling PlayStation Network game at the time, but did not provide a sales count.

Rank #2
PS3 Journey Collection
  • Includes three full games: Journey, Flower, and flOw
  • Bonus content includes the original soundtrack for all three games, three exclusive mini-games from thatgamecompany, a 30 minute documentary about Journey, Creator Commentary play throughs of all three games, exclusive Journey PSN avatars and much more
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

The ambition behind the project

Chen described Thatgamecompany’s purpose in emotional rather than conventional commercial terms. As quoted by Dean Takahashi in GamesBeat, he said: “The mission statement of Thatgamecompany, after all these years, is that we want to create timeless interactive entertainment that makes positive changes to the human psyche.”

The interview also records Chen’s response to a letter from a player: “That letter made it all worth it.” Together, those comments frame the stakes of the project for its creator: the intended payoff was an emotional effect on players, not simply a short game or an awards tally. They do not erase the financial strain documented in the same interview.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #4
Kids Handheld Game Console Pre-Loaded 400 Classic Games, Portable Video Game Console with 2.8" Color Screen, Rechargeable Battery, Handheld Electric Game Console for Boys Girls (Purple)
  • [ Kids Handheld Game Console Built-in 400 Retro Games ] - This handheld gaming console is pre-installed 400 nostalgic 8-bit games such as puzzles, arcades, shooting, racing, fighting and adventure games. Kids are able to cultivate skills such as hand-eye coordination, thinking, and problem-solving while playing these games.
  • [ Rechargeable and Long Battery Life ] - This video game console is equipped with an 800mAh rechargeable battery, which supports up to 5 hours of continuous playing. And 1-2 hours for fully charged. No more worring about replacing batteries while electricity runs out. Remember to charge it when you receive the package.
  • [ Portable and Travel-friendly ] - This mini handheld video game console is carfted with 2.8" color screen and compact size, which makes it portable to be in your pocket, handbag. Keep you entertained when outdoor in airplanes, camps, journey or travelling......
  • [ Support TV Output ] - This handheld game console supports TV output, there is an AV cable in package, you are able to connect this gaming console to TV and enjoy hours of fun
  • [ Perfect Gift for Gamers of All Ages ] - If you are looking for unique gift for kids, this mini handheld game console is a good option, for birthdays, Christmas or other special occasion, offering endless fun and entertainment wherever kids go.
Rank #3
Kids Handheld Game Console Pre-Loaded 400 Classic Games, Portable Video Game Console with 2.8" Color Screen, Rechargeable Battery, Handheld Electric Game Console for Boys Girls (Grey)
  • [ Kids Handheld Game Console Built-in 400 Retro Games ] - This handheld gaming console is pre-installed 400 nostalgic 8-bit games such as puzzles, arcades, shooting, racing, fighting and adventure games. Kids are able to cultivate skills such as hand-eye coordination, thinking, and problem-solving while playing these games.
  • [ Rechargeable and Long Battery Life ] - This video game console is equipped with an 800mAh rechargeable battery, which supports up to 5 hours of continuous playing. And 1-2 hours for fully charged. No more worring about replacing batteries while electricity runs out. Remember to charge it when you receive the package.
  • [ Portable and Travel-friendly ] - This mini handheld video game console is carfted with 2.8" color screen and compact size, which makes it portable to be in your pocket, handbag. Keep you entertained when outdoor in airplanes, camps, journey or travelling......
  • [ Support TV Output ] - This handheld game console supports TV output, there is an AV cable in package, you are able to connect this gaming console to TV and enjoy hours of fun
  • [ Perfect Gift for Gamers of All Ages ] - If you are looking for unique gift for kids, this mini handheld game console is a good option, for birthdays, Christmas or other special occasion, offering endless fun and entertainment wherever kids go.

What the sources do—and do not—establish

  • Established: the game shipped about a year later than planned; staff spent six months on half salaries; and the company ran out of money around shipment, according to Chen’s interview with GamesBeat.
  • Established: GDC Vault’s 2013 session listing describes three years of development for a two-hour game.
  • Not established: a court bankruptcy case, the amount of the studio’s shortfall, or an independently published sales figure.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More post from the Money Desk

  1. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 267 minMortgage Escrow FAQs: Taxes, Insurance, Shortages, and Refunds
  2. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow Mortgage Escrow Accounts Work and What Homeowners Pay For
  3. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow to Read a Stock Chart, Volume and Market-Cap Data
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.