Zombie, Run! and Marvel Move developer lays off most of its staff.
The parent company OliveX is actively seeking a buyer.
Six to Start, the company behind Zombies, Run! and Marvel Move, has reduced its workforce, retaining only two employees. This news was communicated during a Zoom meeting last week, where staff were informed that OliveX, the parent company, could no longer support Six to Start and would proceed with shutting down the company if a buyer could not be found. Additionally, the laid-off employees received termination notices that have been confirmed.
The ZRX: Zombies, Run! app is an immersive fitness game that combines walking and running with narrative audio formats. Players are motivated to increase their speed when "chased" by enemies, whether they are zombies or Marvel villains. At the end of an episode, users can collect items that can be exchanged for badges or buildings within the game. Founded in 2012, the app has approximately 10 million users worldwide.
The production of these immersive storytelling games, particularly Marvel Move, represents a high cost, as it involves creating scripts, hiring voice actors, and graphic artists. A source familiar with the matter mentioned that, for now, it is unlikely the app will shut down completely, given that there is still a significant number of loyal followers of Zombies, Run!. Instead, it is suggested that OliveX might be looking to drastically cut costs by eliminating or suspending new content, relying on the hundreds of existing episodes in its archive. According to the source, OliveX is actively seeking buyers and may already have interested parties.
OliveX acquired Six to Start in 2021, but another source, who requested anonymity, indicated that there were tensions between the Six to Start team and OliveX, as well as with its owner, Animoca Brands. The anti-capitalist themes of the games seemed to clash with the parent companies' goals of developing projects based on cryptocurrency and NFTs. The informant described the work experience under OliveX as "agonizing." So far, no NFTs have been introduced into the Six to Start games.
The short-term future for ZRX: Zombies, Run! subscribers is uncertain. Although there is an extensive library of content available, much of the appeal for users relied on the frequent release of new episodes. Attempts to contact OliveX and Six to Start for comments on this matter did not receive immediate responses.