The Escapist, a flagship gaming website, is going through a series of layoffs, including the editor-in-chief having to leave. The creator of the popular YouTube series Zero Punctuation parted ways, too.
The former editor-in-chief has spoken about problems like unmatched expectations that have led to numerous employees either resigning voluntarily or being fired. The team has plans in place for a future independent project, details of which are yet to arrive.
Deadlines, Expectations, and Lack of Transparency
Nick Calandra, the former editor-in-chief at The Escapist, recently spoke about his departure on X, expressing his disbelief. His tone indicates a heavy heart and confusion regarding where to go next.
I was let go for “not achieving goals” that were never properly set out for us, and lack of understanding of our audience and the team that built that audience.
I’ve watched many colleagues let go for the same reasons, and today was my day!
Nick had been associated with the company since 2019.
As it happens, Nick isn’t the only one being laid off. Yahtzee Croshaw, the personality behind Zero Punctuation, has left too, leaving us a link to the Discord channel for Second Wind, in case anyone looks forward to more updates from the channel regarding the same.
Croshaw worded his resignation on X as well, leaving the community in shock and confusion.
Today, I formally resigned from The Escapist and Gamurs. I don’t have the rights to Zero Punctuation, but whatever happens you’ll be hearing my voice again soon, in a new place.
Other employees who are no longer working with The Escapist include Darren Mooney, Amy Campbell, KC Nwosu, Will Cruz, Sebastian Ruiz, and Jesse Galena, along with editors like Parkes Harman and Jesse Schwab and designer JM8.
Given Nick’s explanation about expectations not being met within the company, it seems like there had been a gap in communication and mismanagement of roles and deadlines that has contributed to this sudden series of resignations.
The Escapist Has an Important Legacy to Carry Forward, Despite Layoffs
Back in 2007, Croshaw created a series for the website that, in its lifespan, has uploaded over 800 weekly videos. The popular YouTube channel has over a million subscribers and a billion views. Out of all the series, Zero Punctuation is the most viewed for its hot takes, sense of humor, and hilarious editing. The series itself has 4.3 million views.
It’s safe to admit that the consistency in quality and regularity of uploads contributed significantly to the success of The Escapist’s online presence. Now that key members of the team are no longer working, it’s tough to say how the organization will carry forward a well-established name and reputation.
It’s important to know that The Escapist started off as a simple online magazine in 2005 and peaked in popularity during the 2010s. There was a similar series of layoffs in 2016-17 where a huge number of employees had to be fired, and the website was relaunched under new ownership in 2018.
Nick also spoke about the team’s current state on Discord and how things are looking for the near future:
Tomorrow you will know more about what our plans are for the future … what happened happened and if you’ve been with the new version of The Escapist since 2019, you know we just keep moving forward. We’re excited and you should be too.
We hope to see the team thrive as an independent enterprise that creates yet another series of solid video game publications, videos, and discussions that stay in our memories for years to come.
In the meantime, stay alert on the team’s Discord channel to follow up on future plans and more details about layoffs.
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