As such, effective immediately, we will no longer be working with Mike Zaimont or Lab Zero Games. pic.twitter.com/4qeoN9fgRj. Our formal relationship is with Autumn Games, who are the official IP holders for Skullgirls. Please continue to … The controversy surrounding Lab Zero Games and Mike Zaimont has proven too much for Skullgirls IP owner Autumn Games to handle, as they have … We know how much Skullgirls means to the community and how many of you have given so much of your time, energy, love, money, and support to enable Skullgirls to thrive. The controversy surrounding Lab Zero Games and Mike Zaimont has proven too much for Skullgirls IP owner Autumn Games to handle, as they have now officially cut ties. But, it says, Skullgirls will continue, without Zaimont's involvement. Those questions have been answered and it looks like not only will Zaimont not be a part of the equation any longer, but Autumn and Hidden Variable are formally expressing intent to continue supporting the long-running fighting game in the years ahead. An official statement from Hidden Variable and Autumn regarding Lab Zero Games and the future of Skullgirls. "In light of recent events, we understand that this is a trying time for everyone involved. On top of that a statement was released from Hidden Variable and Autumn Games, mentioning that they will be cutting ties with Lab Zero Games and Mike Zaimont. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Skullgirls 2nd Encore’s New Features. Arguably the biggest blow came when Autumn Games and Hidden Variable Studios -- the IP Holders of Skullgirls-- ended their partnership with Lab Zero Games. In light of the recent restructuring and dissolution of Lab Zero, 505 Games would like to clarify what this means for the future of Indivisible. First there was Mariel Cartwright, followed by Jonathan Kim, and then Brian Jun. By Quinn Mathys Published Aug 25, 2020. Lab Zero and Autumn Games have teamed up with Hidden Variable Studios to release a new mobile iteration of Skullgirls, launching later this year … From there, Twitch streamer Bunny began sharing disturbing DMs from Zaimont. on August 25, 2020 at 7:52AM PDT. Autumn Games are actually the IP holders for Skullgirls, so hopefully a fresh development team can … The following statement was issued jointly by Autumn Games and Skullgirls Mobile developer Hidden Variable Studios: Recently, a number of Lab Zero Games employees have decided to leave the company as a result of actions by Mike Zaimont and a series of reported incidents that involved Mike over the years. Email news@gamespot.com. In a statement, Hidden Variable and Autumn Games say Skullgirls will continue on, without Lab Zero's involvement. So, what does it means for the future of Indivisible? It was released on PlayStation 3 via PlayStation Network in North America on April 10, 2012 and on Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade a day later worldwide on April 11, 2012. Why has Lab Zero been removed from Skullgirls? Our formal relationship is with Autumn Games, who are the official IP holders for Skullgirls.” We hope this can serve as a fresh start for the next phase of Skullgirls development, unburdened by the events of the past. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers. Although Hidden Variable has worked on Skullgirls Mobile since 2015, we are a 100% independent studio from Lab Zero Games. That said, Skullgirls is bigger than any individual, and it will take more than the unacceptable behavior of any one person to bring it down. When Reverge could no longer continue to support Skullgirls due to legal issues between Konami and Autumn Games, the team behind the game formed Lab Zero as a way to continue to develop content for the game. Several Lab Zero employees recently left en masse due to studio director Mike "MikeZ" Zaimont refusing to step down following harassment allegations. For context, Zaimont initially drew negative attention following a tasteless joke referencing Eric Garner and George Floyd's last words on a livestream. "Autumn Games and Hidden Variable Studios fully support those employees who have chosen to stand by their principles and leave in light of that behavior, and we find their allegations to be credible," the statement reads. Everyone has the right to work in a safe environment, and we were disheartened to hear that this was not always the case at Lab Zero. Autumn Games and Hidden Variable's Statement Regarding Lab Zero. The license holder for Skullgirls, Autumn Games, has distanced itself from the game's original developer, Lab Zero Games, following an exodus … It's been a very long day for anybody tied to the Skullgirls brand. Microsoft Is Reportedly Planning An Xbox Event For March 26, But Don't Get Too Excited Yet, Halo Infinite Dev Confirms No Dual-Wielding In 44-Minute Deep Dive On The Game. In a statement, Hidden Variable and Autumn Games say Skullgirls will continue on, without Lab Zero's involvement. We understand that longtime players have been waiting for Guest Characters as well as some Backer-created characters. Autumn Games, the publisher and rights holder for Skullgirls, followed that by stripping Lab Zero of all of its developmental duties for the almost decade-old fighting game. Until this statement from Autumn Games and Hidden Variable, there had been questions on how the studio would handle this situation, especially given that Autumn Games held the IP rights to Skullgirls. With the events at Lab Zero Games, Autumn Games and Hidden Variable Studios step away from the developer but continue to work with Skullgirls. It was suggested in this statement that Autumn Games would be reaching out to Lab Zero's former employees in the future. © 2021 GAMESPOT, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. "As such, effective immediately, we will no longer be working with Mike Zaimont or Lab Zero Games.". In their resignation statement, they issued an intent to make Skullgirls property without any further involvement from Lab Zero Games. While Mike never worked for Hidden Variable or Autumn, his behavior nonetheless directly contradicts our shared core values of mutual respect, decency, and professionalism. Skullgirls 2nd Encore is a beautiful, fast-paced, and critically acclaimed 2D fighting game that puts players in control of fierce warriors in an extraordinary Dark Deco world. As always, we thank you all for your trust and your ongoing support. By 2020 is the year we expose all the weirdos that think they're safe from being called out on their shitty behavior. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. Skullgirls (JP: スカルガールズ) is a downloadable 2D fighting game developed by Lab Zero Games (formerly Reverge Labs), and published by Autumn Games and Konami. In light of recent events, we understand that this is a trying time for everyone involved. It says it hopes that the planned Annie update for Skullgirls Mobile can "serve as a fresh start for the next phase of Skullgirls development, unburdened by the events of the past.". Allegations snowballed from there with more cosplayers coming forward about Zaimont's behavior, which ultimately led to Monday, where multiple Lab Zero employees began announcing their departure from the studio en masse. A Kickstarter push led to … The studio was formed from staff originally from Reverge Labs, a studio that was formed to develop the 2D Fighting Game Skullgirls.