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Intrepid Studios Reels After Founder’s Protest Resignation as WARN Notices Trigger Mass Layoffs

The founder attributes his exit to board directives he says he could not ethically carry out.

Overview

  • Founder Steven Sharif said on Discord that control shifted away from him, prompting his resignation, followed by senior leaders quitting and the board issuing WARN notices for a mass layoff.
  • Dozens of employees posted that their time at the studio has ended and referred to a studio-wide shutdown, while the game remains purchasable on Steam and its future is uncertain.
  • Public California filings cited by reporters list only Sharif and CFO John Moore as officers, raising questions about the scope of the board whose directives Sharif referenced.
  • Legal and financial pressure includes an $850,000 lawsuit by cloud provider Sara Systems LLC alleging nearly $1 million in unpaid fees, with some reports also pointing to missed payroll.
  • Players are pressing for refunds on Steam and revisiting Kickstarter-era refund pledges, and Sharif says a public filing is forthcoming that he believes will clarify what happened.