Stunning new Metroidvania released days before layoffs at publisher Humble Games says devs "are now in a difficult situation when it comes to updating the console ports"

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The layoffs were "a critical blow" to Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus' post-launch support

Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus screenshot showing a large white and red nine-tailed fox, a white glow emitting from its center
(Image credit: Squid Shock Studios)

Days after its latest game released, Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus publisher Humble Games faced mass layoffs - leaving developer Squid Shock Studios entirely without support for console ports.

Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus, a whimsical Metroidvania inspired by Japanese folklore, launched on July 17 - the week before its publisher Humble Games was affected by layoffs. Indie devs like Squid Shock Studios, the mastermind behind Bo, are now struggling to take care of console updates and QA support as these fell under the publisher's responsibilities. A new announcement from Squid Shock Studios addresses the issue and what's to come.

"We want to give you an update on Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus. We're really proud of how the launch went and it has been great hearing all of your feedback on our game," the dev says. "That being said, our launch hasn't been without its challenges. Most of you will know that our publisher, Humble Games, has effectively shut down, laying off all 36 team members. This took us completely by surprise."

Squid Shock Studios continues, explaining that the layoffs were "a critical blow to our post-launch support." The team is "now in a difficult situation when it comes to updating the console ports," as both console porting and QA support were "tied into our deal with Humble." The dev says it's "actively pursuing all available avenues" to get updates out for console copies, but it "may take some time to put in place."

Even if it does take longer, Squid Shock Studios assures fans of Bo that all "updates and fixes will come to consoles" eventually. The circumstances mirror Coral Island's "uncertain" future on consoles due to the Humble Games layoffs - the fellow indie dev even left a comment on  Squid Shock Studios' post, voicing its solidarity with saluting emojis. Hopefully, both teams find a way through the setbacks so console and PC players alike can enjoy the games.

Check out these upcoming indie games for more.

Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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