In a surprising move, Defy Media, owners of The Escapist, have laid off all staff of the website with the exception of reviewer Ben ‘Yahtzee’ Croshaw and some of the streaming staff. This move was announced late last night in the form of an open letter from the staff that seemed just as confused by the move as many of the fans.

The language of the letter doesn’t paint a perfect picture of communication from Defy Media to The Escapist, as there are mentions of “to our knowledge” as well as the “apparent exception” within the news piece. The poster of the piece, JoJo, does mention that many of the staff will stay on as moderators and volunteers to continue to regulate and promote The Escapist culture, even as the site itself may be undergoing drastic changes.

Though unfortunate, this direction for Defy Media may be more fitting with the bulk of their other properties. They are most famous for Screen Junkies and Smosh, both of which owe their entire culture and fame to Youtube. In that light, Yahtzee makes far more sense as a flagship than the website ever has. Although it is interesting that Defy chose not to address the community directly, it is unlikely that they have any plans to alter Yahtzee’s Zero Punctuation content.

Having been a voice in gaming for just over a decade, Yahtzee is one of the most prominent critics in the field. Known for his long-winded rants, acerbic wit, fantastic animations, and love for Thief 2 and little else, Yahtzee has a place in the gaming Halls of Fame. His consistency as a critic and to never shy from his honest opinion of games – even if many people disagree with him – have made him highly respected and loved within the community. With that in mind, fans have little need to worry that he will be going anywhere, even as The Escapist shuts it doors. He has yet to publicly comment on the news.