In 2021, publisher tinyBuild acquired Versus Evil, and the partnership seemed to be a great fit as both entities steadily supported multiple indie developers at a time. Versus Evil is known for Pillars of Eternity, Banner Saga, and, just recently, Stray Souls. However, days before Christmas, the Versus Evil staff was laid off.
In a message from the publisher, they share:
Versus Evil was a prominent name in the indie gaming industry that began its journey on January 14, 2014, with the launch of The Banner Saga by developer Stoic. This role-playing strategy game earned acclaim and was regarded as one of the top indie titles in 2014. 10 years later, the team worked to increase their portfolio and eventually even released The Banner Saga on iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. However, the journey was not without its challenges. On February 8, 2021, the company faced criticism when it abandoned the Nintendo Switch port of Pillars of Eternity due to persistent bugs without offering refunds to customers.
The company was acquired by tinyBuild in November 2021 alongside the studio Red Cerberus. The closure of Versus Evil occurred on December 22, 2023, just a few weeks following the departure of Escalante from the company. This closure led to the laying off of all staff at Versus Evil. Hopefully, the team finds a way to enjoy the holidays, but I know that won’t be easy.
