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Humble Games Layoffs: What Happened, and What the Failed Sale Reports Mean

Humble Games said publishing support would continue after its July 2024 restructuring, while employee accounts said all 36 staff were let go. GamesBeat later reported two unsuccessful sale attempts.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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Humble Games announced a restructuring on July 23, 2024. The company said it would continue supporting developers and ongoing projects, but did not disclose a layoff count. Employee accounts reported by PC Gamer and GamesBeat said all 36 staff members were let go. GamesBeat later reported that Ziff Davis had tried twice to sell the publisher without finding a viable buyer; those sale attempts were reported from internal materials and former employees, not publicly detailed by Ziff Davis.

Did Humble Games shut down?

Not in the sense that the company announced a legal closure. Humble Games described the July 23, 2024 change as a restructuring and said its publishing support for developers, ongoing projects, and upcoming releases would continue. That statement describes the company’s stated operating posture; it does not establish that every contracted release was ultimately completed.

Employees, by contrast, told outlets that the entire 36-person staff had been let go and described the publisher as shutting down. The clearest reading is to distinguish the company’s promise of continued project support from employee accounts about the loss of its staff. The company statement did not specify how many people were affected.

What happened, and when?

  • November 2023: GamesBeat reported an earlier effort to restructure part of the business.
  • July 17, 2024: Humble Games released Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, five days before the restructuring announcement, according to GamesBeat.
  • July 23, 2024: The publisher announced its restructuring. Employee accounts reported by GamesBeat and PC Gamer said all 36 staff members had been let go.
  • June 18, 2025: GamesBeat updated its report with further details about the attempted sales and subsequent publishing arrangements.

Humble Games had published nearly 50 indie games, according to GamesBeat; that figure is the outlet’s description of its catalog, not an independently audited company total.

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#1 Best Overall
HUMBLE GAMES Temtem
  • Story Campaign: Journey across six vivid islands and embark on the adventure of becoming a Temtem tamer while fighting against the evil Clan Belsoto
  • Online World: The days of traveling solo are over; in Temtem the world is a massively multiplayer one. Tamers from around the world can join and you will be able to see them around you, living the adventure with you and fighting to become the best Temtem tamer
  • Co-Op Adventure: You will be able to join forces with a friend any time and work together towards your next goal. Catch new Temtem, complete a Route, or face off against a Temtem Leader; all while fighting alongside your friend in dual battles!
  • Housing: Buy your own house at Atoll Row and decorate it your way. Buy new furniture, colour your walls and you'll be ready to invite your friends over!
  • Customize: Customize your character to stand out from the crowd and get new cosmetics while you battle other tamers. Pick a silly hat, a comfy sweatshirt, some pants and you're ready to go! Or maybe you prefer to wear a full-on cosplay of your favorite Temtem Comitive: Start by choosing 8 Temtem and the pick and ban phase will begin. Take turns with your rival to pick your Temtem and ban theirs.

What did the company say about the changes?

Humble Games’ statement, reproduced by GamesBeat, said: “In these challenging economic times for indie game publishing, Humble Games has made the difficult but necessary decision to restructure our operations.” It acknowledged a serious impact on team members but did not give a headcount.

The statement also said the company would continue supporting developers and ongoing projects, including upcoming releases. That is a commitment expressed in the statement, not proof that every planned release went ahead.

Rank #2
A Hat in Time
  • 5 vastly different worlds to explore!
  • Exploration is key, every nook and cranny contains something to help you on your way!
  • You might be small, but you pack a punch! Defeat enemies to unlock goodies and fight giant bosses!
  • Upgrade your umbrella with platforming and combat abilities!
  • Lots of guest composers, such as Grant Kirkhope, the composer for Banjo-Kazooie!

What were the reported attempts to sell Humble Games?

GamesBeat reported that internal materials reviewed by the outlet showed Ziff Davis had tried to sell Humble Games twice. One attempt was in the preceding year; neither attracted significant interest or resulted in a viable sale. GamesBeat did not name prospective buyers. These details were reported by the outlet and were not publicly documented by Ziff Davis in the cited coverage.

GamesBeat also reported that Ziff Davis hired The Powell Group to manage Humble Games’ upcoming slate and back catalog. Separately, the outlet attributed to a former employee the claim that Humble Games had no publishing agreements beyond 2025. Both points should be understood as reported information, not as terms publicly confirmed by Ziff Davis.

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Rank #3
Humble Bundle Dodgeball Academia
  • Explore and uncover the secrets of Dodgeball Academia’s vast, diverse, and full of life campus.
  • Full-blown RPG story mode; complete with episodes, main quests, side quests, and minigames.
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  • Engage in action-packed dodgeball matches featuring a unique fighting game style.
  • Duke it out with a friend locally in a competitive local versus mode.

Does this affect Humble Bundle?

The publisher and the storefront are distinct operations. Humble Games’ statement said the restructuring would have “no impact on operations at Humble Bundle,” and PC Gamer also described the storefront and publishing label as separate. The staffing news concerned Humble Games, not a reported closure of the Humble Bundle store.

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Why do reports describe the event differently?

The apparent contradiction comes from accounts addressing different questions. The company described a restructuring and said publishing support would continue; employees told reporters that all 36 staff members had been laid off. GamesBeat’s later account added information about sale attempts and a third-party transition based on internal materials and former-employee reporting. Those claims do not amount to an official announcement that Ziff Davis had put the publisher up for sale, nor do they establish that the publisher legally closed.

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Bestseller No. 2
A Hat in Time
A Hat in Time
5 vastly different worlds to explore!; Exploration is key, every nook and cranny contains something to help you on your way!
$29.99
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Humble Bundle Dodgeball Academia
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Unlock and upgrade characters through an RPG style character and party progression.; Engage in action-packed dodgeball matches featuring a unique fighting game style.
$17.54
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The Wild at Heart (Nintendo Switch)
The Wild at Heart (Nintendo Switch)
Amass your Horde: Collect and deploy a swarm of quirky Spritelings
$38.73
SaleBestseller No. 5
Temtem - Nintendo Switch
Temtem - Nintendo Switch
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$22.50
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Temtem - Nintendo Switch
  • Story Campaign: Journey across six vivid islands and embark on the adventure of becoming a Temtem tamer while fighting against the evil Clan Belsoto.
  • Online World: The days of traveling solo are over; in Temtem the world is a massively multiplayer one. Tamers from around the world can join and you will be able to see them around you, living the adventure with you and fighting to become the best Temtem tamer.
  • Co-Op Adventure: You will be able to join forces with a friend any time and work together towards your next goal. Catch new Temtem, complete a Route, or face off against a Temtem Leader; all while fighting alongside your friend in dual battles!
  • Housing: Buy your own house at Atoll Row and decorate it your way. Buy new furniture, color your walls and you’ll be ready to invite your friends over!
  • Customize: Customize your character to stand out from the crowd and get new cosmetics while you battle other tamers. Pick a silly hat, a comfy sweatshirt, some pants and you’re ready to go! Or maybe you prefer to wear a full-on cosplay of your favorite Temtem?
Rank #4
The Wild at Heart (Nintendo Switch)
  • Amass your Horde: Collect and deploy a swarm of quirky Spritelings
  • small magical creatures for you to command. Break stuff, collect loot, fight enemies, build new paths, and more!
  • Explore: A unique and sequestered world rich with centuries full of lore. Woods, caves, coastline, ancient shrines... The Deep Woods is full of puzzles to be solved and secrets waiting to be uncovered
  • Collect & Craft: Gather rare resources like magical crystals, scrap, electrical components and more to build new structures, items, and upgrades
  • Battle: Take on precarious wildlife and supernatural foes with the unique abilities of your Spriteling swarm and your trusty vacuum, the Gustbuster.Nightfall: "The dark is bad!" - A common saying among the denizens of the Deep Woods, and for good reason. Malevolent beings lurk in the shadows here and you may just find yourself wanting to stay near a campfire light until sunrise.The physical edition includes an exclusive Artbook and Sticker Sheet

Sources: GamesBeat and PC Gamer.

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.

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