Back in August 2020, multiple Lab Zero Games staff left the studio after alleged inappropriate behavior from Mike “Mike Z” Zaimont. Shortly after, all remaining staff was fired. Now, former employees who worked on games like Indivisible and Skullgirls have founded Future Club.
The team consists of 15 members, with Francesca Esquenazi acting as both CEO and a producer. It will be a cooperatively structured developer making 2D animated games. Esquenazi previously acted as a CEO and producer at Lab Zero Games and was an art production coordinator, then art producer, at Riot Games.
Other staff members at the new studio include Creative Director Mariel Kinuko Cartwright, Designer Earl Gertwagen, and Senior Animator Jonathan Kim. Kinuko Cartwright and Kim were both among the Lab Zero staff members who resigned back on August 23, 2020.
Future Club hasn’t announced any possible game projects. However, those worried about Skullgirls don’t need to worry about Skullgirls Mobile updates. Both Hidden Variable Studios and Autumn Games affirmed that Autumn owns the series’ IP and that additional updates won’t be affected. This means that people should still see Annie of the Stars, the next DLC fighter announced for the game, without any sort of issue.
