Rooster Teeth, the production company best known for creating the animated series Red vs. Blue and RWBY, is shutting down after 21 years.
In a memo obtained by IGN and published on the Rooster Teeth official website, General Manager Jordan Levin revealed that the company was shutting down after its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, had failed to sell the company.
As early as 2021, Rooster Teeth's parent company sought to sell off the production company.
"[I] t'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," Levin wrote in the memo. "Our legacy is not just a collection of content but a history of pixels burned into our screens, minds, and hearts."
You can read the full memo below.
Regarding the fate of some Rooster Teeth content, WB Discovery is in talks with selling the rights to its animated series, including Red vs. Blue, RWBY, and gen:LOCK, with Red vs. Blue, set to release a final full-length feature film later this year. Additionally, The Roost, a podcast network with podcasts spanning various genres, will continue to operate, but WB Discovery is also looking to sell off the division.
Following the announcement of its closure, several fans and Rooster Teeth employees took to X/Twitter to express their sadness about the company shutting down. This includes former employees Ashley Burns and Lawrence Sonntag, who left Rooster Teeth in 2019.
Gutted to hear @roosterteeth is ending. I had some of the best adventures of my life there. They supported me making content outside their usual parameters and celebrated with me when it succeeded.
— Ashley Burns (née Jenkins) (@ashleyburns) March 6, 2024
The wider industry will be lucky to get the amazing talent Warner is giving up. pic.twitter.com/P3ITn2P6R7
— Lawrence Sonntag (@SirLarr) March 6, 2024Mixed feelings about this for sure... my time at RT was one of the worst of my life, but I also met many incredible people I still consider friends to this day.
I obviously want the best for them so this sucks. All I can do is hope and work for better outcomes for everyone. https://t.co/bUWO9DxQkx
Hi! I, along with everyone at Rooster Teeth have just lost our jobs. I have over a decade of experience in editorial & as a Post Production Producer. It's a little out of date, but here's a reel of some of my work. If you're looking for editorial assistance, please reach out! pic.twitter.com/bAquIhtC0B
— Peyton McLeod (@PeytonMcLeod_) March 6, 2024
So like, Rooster Teeth staff were told they were shutting down like only a few hours before the fact? That’s so f*cked, man. https://t.co/d0naCes1Fw pic.twitter.com/E593Qf10v1
— Ultima Rebirth (@UltimaShadowX) March 6, 2024
goodbye rooster teeth :( thank you for them :( pic.twitter.com/O2P4ACOJGT
— bambs! (@corvophobia) March 6, 2024
me after finding out about rooster teeth pic.twitter.com/NuzxHz7pQK
— rebecca💖geoff+gavin (@geoffslaugh) March 6, 2024
Rooster Teeth basically kickstarted my interest in pursuing a career in the arts. Just a small group of people creating things together because they enjoyed it. I hope that I’m able to accomplish a fraction of what they were able to. Feels hard to say goodbye. I hate goodbyes. https://t.co/QhW8P0qqp7 pic.twitter.com/WcskXGnVK2
— Eōin J. Leahy (@EoinJLeahy) March 6, 2024
Rooster Teeth Productions was founded in 2003 by Burnie Burns, Matt Hullum, Geoff Ramsey, Jason Saldaña, Gus Sorola, and Joel Heyman before being acquired by Fullscreen in 2014. Rooster Teeth eventually became part of Warner Bros. Discovery after AT&T and & Chernin Group joint venture Otter Media in 2018. It remained under the Warner Media umbrella until 2022, when Discovery, Inc., and WarnerMedia merged to form Warner Bros. Discovery.
Its first production, Red vs. Blue, is a web series set in the same universe as the sci-fi shooter series Halo, and it quickly became a hit for the company. Alongside producing animated shows and podcasts, Rooster Teeth expanded into other forms of media, from Let's Plays to video game development programming, live-action shows, and even full-length feature films, including its debut film, a sci-fiction comedy titled Lazer Team.
Rooster Teeth was also the subject of controversy, most infamously accusations of harboring a toxic work environment, which included low pay and unpaid overtime, crunch culture, and some former employees speaking out about bigotry and harassment they endured while employed at Rooster Teeth.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
