Yahoo News Warner Bros. Discovery Shuts Down Rooster Teeth After 21 Years
Animation, comedy and gaming studio Rooster Teeth, owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, is shutting down.
“Since inheriting ownership and control of Rooster Teeth from AT&T following its acquisition of TimeWarner, Warner Bros. Discovery continued its investment in our company, content and community. It’s with a heavy heart I announce that Rooster Teeth is shutting down due to challenges facing digital media resulting from fundamental shifts in consumer behavior and monetization across platforms, advertising, and patronage,” wrote Jordan Levin, the general manager of Rooster Teeth.
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As part of the shuttering, the Roost Podcast Network, which contains more than 80 podcasts, will remain in operation, as WBD looks for outside interest in acquiring the network. Additional IP such as Red vs Blue, RWBY and Gen:LOCK, “remain in discussion,” the company said.
The company, which is headquartered in Austin, Texas, was founded in 2003 and began with the launch of the web series Red vs. Blue, based on the video game Halo, and then evolved to include the podcast network, as well as the anime webseries RWBY and the streaming series Gen:LOCK, with Michael B. Jordan voicing a main character. The studio last reported having 150 employees, but the number impacted is still unclear, given the potential for sales and having some contractor positions.
“Every story reaches its final pages. Rooster Teeth’s closure isn’t merely an end; it reflects broader business dynamics. Monetization shifts, platform algorithms, advertising challenges, and the ebb and flow of patronage — all these converging factors have led to many closures in the industry,” Levin wrote.
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