Rooster Teeth Closing After 21 Years

The time has come for the doors to close on Rooster Teeth, a decades-long running entertainment studio owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. After 21 years of providing top-tier content by way of animation, comedy, and gaming, the company’s general manager Jordan Levin broke the news to employees via a memo, writing, “It’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.”

One branch will still be holding on, with The Roost Podcast Network continuing taking flight as long as the overseeing studio sees it to be beneficial or, in Levin’s words, “evaluates outside interest in acquiring this growing asset.” This is likely going to pay off as a wise move for Warner Bros. Discovery as, if there’s one market that continues to boom, it’s the podcast industry. As for Rooster Teeth’s more notable IP titles, the future of series like Red vs Blue and RWBY still hang in the balance.

Continuing his message to the employees who have poured their heart and souls into the entertainment studio over its 21 years in business, Levin continued his message from a place of gratitude, adding,

“Every story reaches its final pages. Rooster Teeth’s closure isn’t merely an end;
it reflects broader business dynamics
. Monetization shifts, platform algorithms, advertising challenges and the ebb and flow of patronage – all these converging factors have led to many closures in the industry. Our legacy is not just a collection of content but a history of pixels burned into our screens, minds and hearts.
Rooster Teeth has made an indelible mark on the media industry,
and we should be so proud of the countless ways we pioneered a business connecting creators and content with a dedicated community.”

The History Of Rooster Teeth

Founded by a group of savvy entrepreneurs in 2003, Rooster Teeth got its start thanks to Burnie Burns, Matt Hullum, Geoff Ramsey, Jason Saldaña, Gus Sorola, and Joel Heyman. The first title to stem from the company was Red vs. Blue, which still stands the test of time as a fan-favorite web series more than two decades later. In the years to follow, the studio would launch a slew of other content for its subscribers, including comedy projects, live-action shorts, and series. Moving from its umbrella under Fullscreen and Otter Media, Rooster Teeth would later be taken under the wing of Warner Bros. Discovery following its purchase of TimeWarner via AT&T.

The closure of Rooster Teeth is expected to play out over the following weeks. Stay tuned for more information.