Murder mystery tabletop game company Hunt A Killer sees large layoffs

Former employees of Hunt A Killer told Polygon that the murder mystery tabletop gaming company Hunt A Killer saw huge media attention and experienced record-setting financial results during the pandemic. However, Hunt A Killer laid off significant portions of its workforce in March. Ryan Hogan, Hunt A Killer’s co-founder and chief executive, confirmed the layoffs in an emailed statement, but declined to share the exact number of workers let go. Polygon was told by multiple former employees that at most 40% of staff were dismissed.

Hunt a Killer employed between 80-100 people before March’s layoffs. Former workers claim that some product teams were almost eliminated, and priorities are shifting to other projects.

“We are currently shifting our efforts to the most growth-oriented aspects of our business,” Hogan told Polygon. “Part of that process is, unfortunately, a temporary reduction in force to allow focus on our thriving retail distribution and soon-to-launch live event business.”

He continued: “In the near future, we will be announcing new content partnerships and new retail partnerships as we continue to grow and evolve our business.”

Layoffs of this size aren’t new for Hunt A Killer; former employees told Polygon there have been at least three rounds of large-scale layoffs since 2020. Two workers told Polygon they received a few days’ worth of severance pay.

Hunt A Killer’s subscription-based murder mystery games took off during the pandemic. Players compile clues to build the story and unravel multiple boxes that cost $30 each month. The boxes contain newspaper clippings and notes as well as small trinkets and reports from the police. They are all carefully curated to help tell a story. In 2020, Hunt A Killer boasted $50 million in revenue — “nearly doubling” revenue from the previous year, the company said in a 2021 news release. Hunt A Killer was ranked No. 6 spot on Inc.’s 2020 top 5000 list, Hunt A Killer reported a revenue growth of 20,484.9% in three years.

Hunt A Killer wanted to continue its success and encouraged staff members to release new games and material. According to Polygon, this caused significant financial strain for Hunt A Killer’s employees who often remained focused on their creative departments.

Although former employees said they liked their work and working with teams, many said that the pace of it was sometimes unsustainable. Some workers told Polygon that Hunt A Killer was not selling as many games as it expected in 2022, which led to the company’s massive layoffs.