Rooster Teeth fans mourn loss of RWBY, Red vs Blue after Warner Bros Discovery shutters company

Rooster Teeth, the Austin-based production company behind popular animated series including Red vs Blue and RWBY, will shut down after 21 years.

The news comes after its parent company, Warner Bros Discovery, attempted to try and sell Rooster Teeth’s fandom, gaming and comedy entertainment division, but to no avail.

The entertainment company’s general manager, Jordan Levin, made the announcement in a memo sent to staff on Wednesday (6 March).

“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 behaviour and monetisation across platforms, advertising, and patronage,” Levin wrote in an email via Deadline.

This closure will affect approximately 150 full-time employees who have been made redundant, as well as numerous other content creators and contractors.

Warner Bros Discovery is reportedly in talks to sell Rooster Teeth’s catalogue of content, such as its hit anime-influenced web series RWBY, its long-running animated sci-fi Red vs Blue and its adult adventure series, Camp Camp.

The Roost Podcast Network, however, will remain operational “while WBD evaluates outside interest in acquiring this growing asset”, Levin said.

“That’s really sad news. Rooster Teeth has been a cornerstone in the online entertainment world for so long. They've left an indelible mark on the industry and will be dearly missed,” one person tweeted.

“Rooster Teeth is one of the things the motivated me to start YouTube sad seeing them go out like this,” a second lamented.

“This breaks my whole heart,” a third wrote, with another adding: “May not have had the best final years but the company created some of my favorite stuff growing up!”

Founded in 2003 by Burnie Burns, Matt Hullum, Geoff Ramsey, Jason Saldaña, Gus Sorola and Joel Heyman, Rooster Teeth underwent several ownership changes before it was eventually acquired by Warner Bros Discovery in April 2022.

“Warner Bros Discovery thanks Rooster Teeth’s groundbreaking creators and partners, and the strong management team, for their many years of success,” Warner Bros Discovery said in a separate statement. “Your passionate and loyal fans are testament to your achievements.”