By Sagar V. Mankar 
Hothead Games, a prominent Vancouver-based game studio, has officially closed its doors after nearly two decades in the gaming industry. The announcement was made by Ian Wilkinson, the company’s president and CEO, through a LinkedIn post where he reflected on the studio’s journey and confirmed that the company has filed for bankruptcy. Details about the number of employees affected by the closure remain unclear.
Founded in 2006 by former Radical Entertainment veterans Steve Bocska, James Ceraldi, and Joel DeYoung, Hothead Games initially focused on developing and publishing digital console and PC games. However, over time, the studio shifted its focus to the free-to-play mobile gaming market, experiencing varying levels of success.
Reflecting on the studio’s evolution, Wilkinson admitted that the initial experimentation with smaller mobile titles yielded few results. “We threw all kinds of small, inexpensive games at the wall to see what stuck. Surprise, surprise, nothing stuck,” he remarked candidly.
However, the studio eventually found success with sports titles under the Big Win brand, shooting games under the Rivals at War (RAW) series, and the popular Kill Shot franchise. These titles marked Hothead’s golden years, achieving commercial success and carving out a niche in the competitive mobile gaming market.
In recent years, Hothead Games had been working on a playable prototype for an ambitious triple-A project. The plan was to secure contracts with publishers for mobile, PC, and console versions of the game. However, the negotiation process proved more challenging and time-consuming than anticipated. Wilkinson revealed that while deals were close to being finalized, unforeseen obstacles arose. “The mobile publisher withdrew two weeks ago due to a change in strategy, and shortly after, the console publisher also pulled out. At that point, bankruptcy became our only remaining option,” he explained.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Wilkinson emphasized that Hothead’s true legacy lies in its people rather than its games. “Hothead was filled with incredibly smart, talented, loyal, and hardworking individuals who supported each other both professionally and personally. Many of us forged lifelong friendships at Hothead,” he said.
He went on to describe the deep bond shared among team members over the years, noting that they celebrated victories, supported each other through challenges, and grew both professionally and personally during their time at the studio.
While the closure marks the end of an era, Wilkinson remains optimistic about the future. “Hopefully, this won’t be the last time you hear from us. We still believe we are destined to work together again and continue to do great things,” he concluded.
Source: Ian Wilkinson via LinkedIn.