Triple-A Veterans and Accessibility Experts Launch Worker-Owned Co-op Raze and Rebuild Studio

A new worker-owned game development co-operative called Raze and Rebuild Studio has been formed by a group of triple-A industry veterans and accessibility experts. The studio describes itself as "rising from the ashes of the games industry," a reference to the extended wave of mass layoffs and studio closures that have displaced thousands of developers in recent years.

The co-op's founding members include former Monolith Productions writer Tanya DePass, business development and accessibility consultant Tarja Porkka-Kontturi, accessibility expert Laura Kate Dale, and Global Game Jam co-founder Ian Schreiber. According to the founding members, who spoke with Game Developer, the studio launched without any initial external funding but is actively developing its debut project while pursuing potential grants and holding discussions with outside partners.

Details on the first game remain scarce. Laura Kate Dale indicated the studio is interested in "games for impact that touch on real world lived experiences," and noted the team has satirical concepts rooted in their experiences struggling to find employment within the industry, alongside lighter ideas more focused on mechanics. The team is currently prototyping with a deliberately small scope before committing to a full release.

The worker-owned co-operative model has gained gradual traction in independent game development, though its long-term viability remains difficult to assess following the 2020–2021 funding boom and subsequent industry contraction. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, studios such as KO_OP advocated for the model, while veterans like Chet Faliszek and Kimberly Voll established Stray Bombay. The co-operative studio Glory Society ultimately shut down due to health issues affecting its founding members.

The co-op structure's appeal lies partly in its ability to distribute rewards from successful projects directly to the workers who created them. For Raze and Rebuild, the model also serves a deeper purpose tied to accessibility. Dale explained that structuring the studio as a co-op allows the team to address the unpredictable nature of disability upfront, accommodating how work ability may ebb and flow—a consideration she noted is rarely supported in traditional studio environments.