Full History Of Rooster Teeth In Timeline From 1997

1997: Independent Film Collaboration

In 1997, while attending the University of Texas at Austin, Burnie Burns and Matt Hullum collaborated with actor Joel Heyman to make The Schedule, an independent film. The project helped Hullum and Heyman find work in Los Angeles.

April 2003: Ben McSweeney hired for logo design

Ben McSweeney, the artist who designed Rooster Teeth's logo, was recruited by Burns from the website's community forums in April 2003, highlighting the company's practice of recognizing and incorporating community talent.

April 2003: Red vs. Blue Premiere

In April 2003, Rooster Teeth premiered its first production, Red vs. Blue, which became the third longest-running episodic web series of all time.

2003: Rooster Teeth Implements "Sponsorships" Program

Due to high server costs for hosting their videos, Rooster Teeth introduced the "Sponsorships" program in 2003, offering paying members early access to content, exclusive features, and merchandise. This program, later rebranded as Rooster Teeth First membership, became a key source of revenue and contributed to the company's growth in its early years.

2003: Founding of Rooster Teeth

In 2003, Rooster Teeth Productions, LLC was founded by Burnie Burns, Matt Hullum, Geoff Ramsey, Jason Saldaña, Gus Sorola, and Joel Heyman in Austin, Texas. The company later became a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming & Interactive Entertainment.

May 2004: Rooster Teeth Discovers The Sims 2

In May 2004, at the E3 gaming convention, Rooster Teeth encountered The Sims 2 and recognized its potential for a series parodying reality television. With approval from Electronic Arts, they embarked on creating The Strangerhood.

October 4, 2004: Rooster Teeth Launches Online Community

On October 4, 2004, Rooster Teeth launched its own online community and social networking website, aiming to connect with fans directly and control its content distribution.

September 27, 2005: PANICS Premiere

The first of four publicly released episodes of PANICS, a machinima series created by Rooster Teeth and Maybeck Productions, premiered on September 27, 2005.

October 18, 2005: PANICS Finale

The fourth and final public episode of PANICS was released on October 18, 2005.

2005: Strangerhood Studios Collaboration and Award

In 2005, Rooster Teeth collaborated with Paul Marino on Strangerhood Studios, a spin-off commissioned by the Independent Film Channel. This marked a significant milestone as the first machinima series commissioned for broadcast. Strangerhood Studios also garnered the Best Editing award at the 2005 Machinima Film Festival.

2005: RoosterTooths fansite established

In 2005, RoosterTooths, a long-running fan website dedicated to Rooster Teeth, was created. The site provided transcripts, biographies, and a historical archive of Red vs. Blue title screens, illustrating the community's dedication and content creation.

2005: Community-Run Rooster Teeth Events Begin

Rooster Teeth's fan community began organizing their own events in 2005, including RvBTO in Toronto and RvBCanWest in Vancouver.

April 27, 2006: The Strangerhood Season 1 Concludes

On April 27, 2006, Rooster Teeth's comedy series, The Strangerhood, concluded its first season, consisting of 17 episodes.

November 2006: Controversy Surrounding Madden NFL 07 Commercial

In November 2006, Rooster Teeth faced controversy over a Madden NFL 07 commercial they directed for Electronic Arts. Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark expressed dissatisfaction with his portrayal in the commercial, where he was repeatedly hit and tackled by Philadelphia Eagles players. Clark felt the depiction made him appear weak, prompting Rooster Teeth to respond by posting a director's cut of the commercial showcasing Clark's dominance in every position.

2006: 1-800-Magic and Rooster Teeth Partnership with Maybeck Productions

Rooster Teeth partnered with Maybeck Productions to create the PANICS series in 2006, and also created a four-episode machinima miniseries called 1-800-Magic using the game Shadowrun.

2006: ScrewAttack is Founded

ScrewAttack, a video game website was founded in 2006, gaining popularity through content like the SideScrollers podcast and Top 10 series.

October 2008: Community member "Jeffson" breaks news

In October 2008, a Rooster Teeth community member, "Jeffson", became the first to report on Barack Obama's campaign utilizing billboards within the Xbox 360 version of Burnout Paradise, a story later picked up by prominent news outlets.

December 9, 2008: Drunk Tank Podcast Launched

Rooster Teeth launched the Drunk Tank podcast on December 9, 2008.

2008: Achievement Hunter Created

Achievement Hunter was created in 2008 by Geoff Ramsey and Jack Pattillo.

2008: Supreme Surrender

Rooster Teeth released a machinima miniseries titled Supreme Surrender, made using Supreme Commander, in 2008.

2009: Captain Dynamic Premiere

Rooster Teeth's first venture into live action, Captain Dynamic, premiered in 2009. This miniseries, directed by Matt Hullum and written by Burnie Burns, promoted the online game City of Heroes and starred Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies.

2009: First ScrewAttack Gaming Convention

ScrewAttack held its first gaming convention, SGC, in 2009, featuring the "Iron Man of Gaming" competition.

March 2010: Immersion Teaser

A teaser trailer for the series Immersion, featuring a pilot episode testing driving from a third-person perspective, was released during PAX East in late March 2010.

April 23, 2010: RT Shorts Season 2 Premiere

The second season of RT Shorts debuted on April 23, 2010, with new episodes released weekly.

July 2010: First Rooster Teeth Animated Adventures Episode Released

In July 2010, the inaugural episode of Rooster Teeth Animated Adventures (RTAA), originally titled Drunk Tank Animated Adventures, was released by Jordan Cwierz. These animated shorts brought to life stories shared on the Rooster Teeth Podcast.

July 2010: RT Shorts Hiatus

The second season of RT Shorts went on hiatus in late July 2010 as the team focused on Red vs. Blue production.

August 28, 2010: RT Shorts Resumes

After a hiatus to focus on Red vs. Blue, RT Shorts resumed its weekly release schedule for the second season on August 28, 2010.

October 2010: Immersion Production Announcement

Burnie Burns announced the start of production on further episodes of Immersion during the company's podcast, The Rooster Teeth Podcast, in October 2010.

October 2010: The Slow Mo Guys Premiere

The Slow Mo Guys, a science and technology web series created by Gavin Free and starring Daniel Gruchy, premiered on October 15, 2010.

November 23, 2010: Immersion Hype

Rooster Teeth released photos on Reddit on November 23, 2010, of an office door transformed into a safe-room door from the game Left 4 Dead to build hype for Immersion's debut.

2010: Community's importance highlighted by Burns

Burnie Burns, in 2010, stated the significance of the community to Rooster Teeth's success, emphasizing its role in the achievements of projects like RedVsBlue.

2010: "AxialMatt" and "Hightower" gain recognition

In 2010, two Achievement Hunter community members, "AxialMatt" and "Hightower", garnered significant attention for their "Japan World Cup 3" video.

2010: Second ScrewAttack Gaming Convention

The second SGC took place in 2010.

January 5, 2011: Immersion Season 1 Finale

The weekly series Immersion concluded its first season with its seventh episode on January 5, 2011.

February 2011: Rooster Teeth Announces First RTX Event

In February 2011, Rooster Teeth announced RTX, its first official fan convention, inspired by the success of community-run events.

February 2011: "madmanmoe" blogs Libyan Civil War

In February 2011, community member "madmanmoe" discovered that the Rooster Teeth website was accessible in Libya, and used it to blog about the events of the First Libyan Civil War, garnering attention for his unique perspective.

May 2011: First Official RTX Event Held in Austin

Rooster Teeth's inaugural RTX convention took place in Austin, Texas in May 2011, exceeding expectations with over 500 tickets sold despite initially planning for a smaller gathering.

May 29, 2011: Immersion Filming

The filming for the new episode of Immersion took place on May 29, 2011, during Rooster Teeth's RTX convention, involving Geoff Ramsey and Gus Sorola defending against a horde of 400 participants dressed as zombies.

June 17, 2011: Immersion Returns

A new episode of Immersion premiered on June 17, 2011, after a five-month hiatus.

October 2011: Jordan Cwierz Hired to Produce RTAA

Rooster Teeth officially hired Jordan Cwierz in October 2011 to produce Rooster Teeth Animated Adventures (RTAA) full-time, making it a regular feature of the Rooster Teeth Podcast.

2011: Community as Zombie Extras in "Immersion"

In 2011, around 400 community members participated as zombie extras for a Horde Mode episode of "Immersion", demonstrating Rooster Teeth's engagement with their fanbase.

2011: Angry Video Game Nerd Leaves ScrewAttack

In 2011, the popular Angry Video Game Nerd series stopped being hosted on ScrewAttack.

2011: Drunk Tank Renamed Rooster Teeth Podcast

The Drunk Tank Podcast was renamed to Rooster Teeth Podcast in 2011 to make it more appealing to advertisers.

2012: 1,800 attendees in "Day 5" filming

In 2012, Rooster Teeth involved 1,800 RTX attendees as extras for a scene in "Day 5", a production that involved closing a major road in Austin, showcasing the scale of community involvement.

2012: Day 5 Initial Concept

In 2012, Rooster Teeth utilized 1,800 fans as extras for a scene in their post-apocalyptic short series, Day 5, during RTX 2012.

2012: RTX Moves to Austin Convention Center

RTX began using the Austin Convention Center as its venue in 2012, reflecting its growing scale and attendance.

2012: Rooster Teeth Partners with Blip

Rooster Teeth announced a partnership with Blip on Halloween 2012, marking the launch of their new 10-episode reality game competition series, The Gauntlet, sponsored by GEICO.

February 2013: The Slow Mo Guys Joins Rooster Teeth

On February 20, 2013, Gavin Free confirmed that The Slow Mo Guys had been acquired by Rooster Teeth and would release further episodes on their website.

April 1, 2013: Rooster Teeth Shorts Revival

Despite being previously cancelled, Rooster Teeth announced the return of Rooster Teeth Shorts with a fifth season on April 1, 2013, marking the company's tenth anniversary. The premiere episode, Reunion, was also released on this day.

July 5, 2013: RWBY Premieres at RTX 2013

The first episode of RWBY, the anime-styled CG-animated web series created by Monty Oum, premiered at RTX 2013 on July 5, 2013.

July 18, 2013: RWBY Released Online

Following its premiere at RTX, RWBY was released on Rooster Teeth's website on July 18, 2013, making it accessible to a wider audience.

August 22, 2013: Rooster Teeth on Vine

Rooster Teeth released six 6-second mini-episodes exclusively on Vine on August 22, 2013.

September 7, 2013: The Gauntlet Season Two Begins

On September 7, 2013, Rooster Teeth and Blip launched the second season of their reality game competition series, The Gauntlet, hosted by Burnie Burns and Joel Heyman.

September 13, 2013: More Rooster Teeth on Vine

Six more 6-second Rooster Teeth mini-episodes were published on Vine on September 13, 2013.

September 2013: The Slow Mo Guys Compilation Release

Rooster Teeth Productions released a best-of compilation episode of The Slow Mo Guys for home video on September 10, 2013.

October 11, 2013: Third Set of Rooster Teeth Vines

The third set of Rooster Teeth's 6-second Vine mini-episodes was released on October 11, 2013.

November 8, 2013: Fourth Set of Rooster Teeth Vines

On November 8, 2013, Rooster Teeth released a fourth set of 6-second mini-episodes on Vine.

2013: Fans in "The Slow Mo Guys" water-bomb episode

In 2013, Rooster Teeth integrated hundreds of fans as extras for a water-bomb attack sequence in "The Slow Mo Guys", demonstrating their continued efforts to include the community in their projects.

2013: Immersion Season 2 Production

Production for the second season of Immersion began in 2013, with Gavin Free and Michael Jones replacing Gus Sorola and Geoff Ramsey.

2013: Rooster Teeth Podcast Wins Award

The Rooster Teeth Podcast received recognition in 2013 by winning the Best Gaming Podcast award at the Podcast Awards.

2013: SGC Returns After Hiatus

The ScrewAttack Gaming Convention returned in 2013 after a two-year break.

February 2014: Crowdfunding Campaign for Lazer Team Announced

In February 2014, Burnie Burns announced Rooster Teeth's plan to launch a crowdfunding campaign for their upcoming feature film, Lazer Team, aiming to garner wider support and increase publicity.

April 1, 2014: RWBY: Grimm Eclipse Fangame Demo Released

On April 1, 2014, Jordan Scott released a demo of his RWBY: Grimm Eclipse fangame. The demo is no longer available.

June 2014: Lazer Team Indiegogo Campaign Launched

In June 2014, Rooster Teeth initiated an Indiegogo campaign for their feature film, Lazer Team. The campaign quickly surpassed its initial goal of $650,000, reaching over $1.6 million in just two days, setting the stage for the film's release in 2015.

July 2014: Jordan Scott to develop RWBY video game

In July 2014, Rooster Teeth announced at RTX that fan Jordan Scott would develop the RWBY video game after showcasing a demo on YouTube, illustrating their commitment to engaging community-driven projects.

August 2014: Blaine Gibson's Disney Proposal

In August 2014, Blaine Gibson, an intern turned content producer, attracted media attention for his proposal to various Disney Princesses at Walt Disney World, demonstrating the growing recognition of Rooster Teeth personalities.

September 15, 2014: Social Disorder Premieres with "The Body Bag Experiment"

On September 15, 2014, Rooster Teeth's social experiment show, Social Disorder, debuted with its first episode, "The Body Bag Experiment."

September 2014: Burns emphasizes community engagement

In September 2014, Burnie Burns stressed the importance of two-way communication with Rooster Teeth's "hyper engaged core" audience as a key factor in their global reach.

October 8, 2014: Let's Play Minimations Debuts

Rooster Teeth premiered Let's Play Minimations on October 8, 2014. This series showcased highlights from Achievement Hunter's Let's Plays, initially using 3D animation reminiscent of Minecraft and later employing machinimation techniques with Grand Theft Auto V.

October 9, 2014: Production Begins for Lazer Team

Production for Rooster Teeth's feature film, Lazer Team, commenced on October 9, 2014.

November 2014: Acquisition by Fullscreen

In November 2014, Rooster Teeth was acquired by Fullscreen to gain the resources and tools needed to compete with major producers like Netflix, HBO, and Amazon.

November 27, 2014: X-Ray and Vav Premiere

The first episode of the animated show X-Ray and Vav was released on November 27, 2014, starring Ray Narvaez, Jr. and Gavin Free.

2014: RWBY: Grimm Eclipse Announced

At RTX 2014 on July 4, Rooster Teeth announced the development of their first video game, RWBY: Grimm Eclipse. An early demo was available at the event.

2014: Sponsor Play Begins

In 2014, Rooster Teeth employees Miles Luna and Kyle Taylor initiated a gaming series initially called Sponsor Play, featuring gameplay recordings and facial camera footage.

2014: Casting Calls for "Lazer Team" at RTX

In 2014, Rooster Teeth held casting calls and auditions during RTX for minor speaking roles in "Lazer Team", providing an opportunity for community members to become part of their film production.

2014: Relocation to Stage 5

In 2014, Rooster Teeth moved into Stage 5 at Austin Studios, having signed a two-year lease. The relocation included over 90 employees.

2014: Rooster Teeth Animation Founded

Rooster Teeth established its animation division, Rooster Teeth Animation, in 2014 with Gray Haddock as its head.

2014: Game Kids Launches

Rooster Teeth launched the Game Kids channel in 2014.

2014: Happy Hour Premieres

Rooster Teeth premiered the bi-weekly series, Happy Hour, in 2014.

2014: Rooster Teeth Podcast Wins Award Again

The Rooster Teeth Podcast once again won the Best Gaming Podcast award at the Podcast Awards in 2014.

February 1, 2015: Monty Oum Passes Away

Tragically, on February 1, 2015, Monty Oum, the creator and director of RWBY, passed away due to complications from a severe allergic reaction during a medical procedure.

February 3, 2015: Establishment of Los Angeles Office

On February 3, 2015, Burnie Burns confirmed that Rooster Teeth would establish an office in Los Angeles, which would house a new division called Funhaus.

February 16, 2015: Funhaus Launches

Funhaus, a division of Rooster Teeth Productions, launched on February 16, 2015.

February 20, 2015: Let's Play Live Debuts

Rooster Teeth launched Let's Play Live, a live event featuring Achievement Hunter and other Let's Play personalities, on February 20, 2015 at the Moody Theater in Austin.

February 21, 2015: First Official Teaser Trailer for Lazer Team Released

Rooster Teeth released the first official teaser trailer for Lazer Team on February 21, 2015.

March 16, 2015: Full Trailer for Lazer Team Released

The full trailer for Rooster Teeth's Lazer Team was released on March 16, 2015.

May 21, 2015: Million Dollars, But... Pilot Premieres

The pilot episode of Rooster Teeth's comedic series, Million Dollars, But..., premiered on May 21, 2015.

July 9, 2015: Million Dollars, But... Series Continues

Following the pilot episode, the Rooster Teeth series, Million Dollars, But..., continued its run on July 9, 2015.

July 19, 2015: X-Ray and Vav Season 2 Premiere

The second season of X-Ray and Vav premiered on July 19, 2015, with new cast members including Michael Jones, Jessica DiCicco, and Ryan Haywood.

July 24, 2015: Lazer Team Becomes Second Most-Funded Film on Indiegogo

As of July 24, 2015, Rooster Teeth's Lazer Team reached nearly $2.5 million in funding, securing its position as the second most-funded film project on Indiegogo.

September 24, 2015: Lazer Team Premieres at Fantastic Fest

On September 24, 2015, Rooster Teeth's Lazer Team premiered at Fantastic Fest, receiving a generally positive reception.

September 27, 2015: RT-ES Premieres

Rooster Teeth's sketch comedy show, RT-ES (Rooster Teeth Entertainment System), premiered for Rooster Teeth First members on September 27, 2015, exclusively on roosterteeth.com.

September 29, 2015: The Strangerhood Season 2 Premieres

Following a long hiatus, the second season of The Strangerhood premiered on September 29, 2015, made possible by the success of Lazer Team's Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign.

November 4, 2015: ScrewAttack Acquired by Rooster Teeth

On November 4, 2015, Rooster Teeth acquired the gaming website and YouTube channel ScrewAttack, absorbing its user base and content into their platform.

November 2015: Elyse Willems Joins Funhaus

Elyse Willems joined Funhaus in November 2015.

November 2015: Immersion Season 3 Premiere

The third season of Immersion premiered in November 2015, as announced by Burnie Burns at RTX 2015.

December 1, 2015: RWBY: Grimm Eclipse Early Access Release

On December 1, 2015, RWBY: Grimm Eclipse was released on Steam Early Access.

2015: RTX Attendance Reaches 45,000

By 2015, RTX attendance had significantly increased to 45,000 attendees, showing its popularity.

2015: Interactive "Murder at The RTX" experience

In 2015, RTX attendees were invited to participate in "Murder at The RTX", an interactive experience where attendees hunted for clues at staged "crime scenes", showcasing Rooster Teeth's commitment to creating unique experiences for their community.

2015: Release of Lazer Team

In 2015, Rooster Teeth released Lazer Team, its feature-film debut, marking a significant expansion into full-length movies.

2015: Community's role in "Lazer Team" acknowledged

In 2015, during the production of "Lazer Team", co-founder Matt Hullum acknowledged the crucial role the community played in making the film possible.

January 27, 2016: Lazer Team Theatrical Release

Rooster Teeth released their feature film, Lazer Team, in theaters on January 27, 2016.

March 2016: Day 5 Casting and Filming Begins

In March 2016, the cast for Rooster Teeth's post-apocalyptic series, Day 5, was revealed, and filming commenced that same month.

March 28, 2016: Rooster Teeth Partners with Kinda Funny

On March 28, 2016, Rooster Teeth announced a partnership with Kinda Funny.

April 1, 2016: Camp Camp Announced

Rooster Teeth announced its new animated series, Camp Camp, on April 1, 2016, with a trailer released on their website and YouTube channel.

April 4, 2016: Rooster Teeth Partners with The Creatures

On April 4, 2016, Rooster Teeth announced a partnership with The Creatures.

June 10, 2016: Camp Camp Premieres

As part of Rooster Teeth's Summer of Animation promotion, Camp Camp premiered on June 10, 2016. The series, created by Jordan Cwierz and Miles Luna, follows the misadventures of Max, a cynical young boy voiced by Michael Jones, at a dysfunctional summer camp.

June 2016: Million Dollars, But... Card Game Released

Following a highly successful Kickstarter campaign, Rooster Teeth released the Million Dollars, But... card game in mid-June 2016.

June 2016: Meg Turney Leaves Rooster Teeth

In June 2016, Meg Turney announced her departure from Rooster Teeth.

June 19, 2016: Day 5 Premieres

The first episode of Rooster Teeth's post-apocalyptic short series, Day 5, premiered on June 19, 2016, on both the company's website and YouTube. This marked Rooster Teeth's first foray into premium exclusive content, with the rest of the series being available only to FIRST members on their website.

June 20, 2016: RTX Panel Filming for "Crunch Time"

On June 20, 2016, Rooster Teeth confirmed they would film audience members at an RTX panel for their latest production, "Crunch Time", furthering the integration of the community into their content.

July 1, 2016: "Sponsorships" Rebranded as "FIRST" with Double Gold Tier

On July 1, 2016, Rooster Teeth's "Sponsorship" program was renamed "FIRST" and introduced a premium tier called Double Gold, offering additional benefits like merchandise discounts, VIP event access, and exclusive merchandise boxes.

July 8, 2016: Burnie Burns Emphasizes Rooster Teeth's Independent Platform

On July 8, 2016, Burnie Burns reiterated Rooster Teeth's commitment to maintaining its own independent online platform rather than relying solely on social media giants.

July 31, 2016: Day 5 Season One Concludes

The first season of Rooster Teeth's post-apocalyptic series, Day 5, concluded on July 31, 2016.

August 5, 2016: Lazer Team 2 Greenlit

On August 5, 2016, Burnie Burns and Gavin Free announced that Rooster Teeth, in partnership with YouTube Red (now YouTube Premium), had greenlit Lazer Team 2. YouTube Red was confirmed to be financing the film, with pre-production already underway.

September 2016: Crunch Time Premieres

Rooster Teeth's web series, Crunch Time, initially aired in September 2016.

November 2016: Funhaus Ends The Know Segment Production

Funhaus ceased producing segments for The Know in November 2016.

November 2016: Sponsor Play Renamed to Backwardz Compatible

Rooster Teeth's gaming series, originally titled Sponsor Play, was renamed to Backwardz Compatible in November 2016, coinciding with changes in the company's sponsorship format.

December 2016: Filming Plans for Lazer Team 2 Confirmed

Matt Hullum confirmed in December 2016 that filming for Lazer Team 2 would take place in Texas during the late spring of 2017, with a planned release later that year.

2016: Community-centric approach reiterated

Burns, in 2016, again emphasized the importance of the community to Rooster Teeth's success and growth, emphasizing the importance of their feedback.

2016: Game Kids Ends

Game Kids ended in 2016.

2016: Poole and Rubin Leave Funhaus

In 2016, Poole and Rubin departed from Funhaus, marking a significant change for the division.

2016: Hiring of Content Executives

In 2016, Rooster Teeth hired three content executives to aid in audience expansion: Luis Medina as senior VP of Partnerships, Evan Bregman as Director of Programming, and Ryan P. Hall as Head of Development.

2016: Let's Play Live Tours North America

Let's Play Live expanded its reach in 2016 by touring several cities across North America, bringing its gaming and comedy performances to a wider audience.

February 13, 2017: Sex Swing Teaser

Rooster Teeth premiered the teaser trailer for their upcoming animated series titled "Sex Swing" on February 13, 2017.

February 2017: Day 5 Season Two Announced

Alongside the announcement of a second season for Camp Camp, Rooster Teeth revealed in February 2017 that Day 5 would also be getting a second season.

February 2017: RTX London Announced

In February 2017, Rooster Teeth announced the launch of RTX London, expanding its reach to a global audience.

April 2017: Filming for Lazer Team 2 Concludes

Filming for Lazer Team 2 wrapped in April 2017.

May 31, 2017: Let's Play Network Expands

On May 31, 2017, YouTubers JT Machinima, NoahJ456, LazarBeam, and Sugar Pine 7 joined the Let's Play Network.

June 2017: Rooster Teeth Launches The Roost Podcast Network

Rooster Teeth launched its own podcast network, The Roost, in June 2017, featuring prominent creators such as h3h3Productions, Game Grumps, and Shane Dawson.

July 12, 2017: The Creatures Disband

On July 12, 2017, The Creatures announced their disbandment, ending their partnership with Rooster Teeth.

September 24, 2017: Happy Hour Ends

On September 24, 2017, Rooster Teeth's series, Happy Hour, concluded its run.

October 2017: Eric Vespe Joins The Know

In October 2017, Eric Vespe joined The Know as senior writer.

2017: Blood Fest Announced at RTX Austin

At RTX Austin 2017, Rooster Teeth revealed their upcoming horror-comedy film, Blood Fest, directed by Owen Egerton and featuring a cast including Seychelle Gabriel, Robbie Kay, and Jacob Batalon.

2017: Community as a core value

In 2017, Burns highlighted the community as a cornerstone of Rooster Teeth and a key value instilled in new employees.

2017: 2017 Extra Life Fundraising

In 2017, during their Extra Life stream, Rooster Teeth raised a total of US$1,209,970.73 for Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas.

2017: Production Costs

In 2017, it was revealed by Burnie Burns that production costs for an episode at Rooster Teeth varied from $15,000 to $100,000.

January 26, 2018: Appointment of Ezra Cooperstein

On January 26, 2018, Ezra Cooperstein, President and former COO of Fullscreen, was appointed as President of Rooster Teeth.

March 16, 2018: Nomad of Nowhere Premiere

A new 2D animated show called Nomad of Nowhere, created by Georden Whitman, was released on Rooster Teeth First on March 16, 2018.

May 2018: Pilot of New Shows

In May 2018, Rooster Teeth piloted five new shows: Branded, Gorq's Quest, Achievement Haunter, Million Dollars, But ... Animated, and Rooster Teeth's Murder Room. They also announced a new 2D/dark comedy show called Spikeface, co-produced with Rob McElhenney and RCG Productions.

May 21, 2018: Michael B. Jordan Announced as gen:LOCK Lead

On May 21, 2018, Rooster Teeth revealed that renowned actor Michael B. Jordan would voice the main character, Julian Chase, in their upcoming mecha action drama series, gen:LOCK. Jordan also co-produced the series through his production company, Outlier Society Productions.

May 22, 2018: Camp Camp Seasons 1 & 2 DVD/Blu-ray Released

A DVD/Blu-ray combo pack containing the first two seasons of Camp Camp was released on May 22, 2018, allowing fans to enjoy the show offline.

July 2018: The Roost Adds The Last Podcast on the Left

The Roost expanded its offerings by adding the popular true crime podcast The Last Podcast on the Left in July 2018.

August 2018: Alanah Pearce Joins Funhaus

Alanah Pearce joined Funhaus in August 2018.

September 5, 2018: The Roost Partners With The Beam

On September 5, 2018, Rooster Teeth's podcast network, The Roost, partnered with another network, The Beam, to support its existing and upcoming podcasts.

December 2018: Fullscreen Consolidation

In December 2018, Otter Media restructured Fullscreen, consolidating Rooster Teeth along with Crunchyroll and VRV under Ellation to align sales efforts and attract advertising and partnerships. Machinima was subsumed into Fullscreen during this transition.

December 18, 2018: Partnership with CypherDen and Flashgitz

On December 18, 2018, Rooster Teeth expanded its content library by partnering with animation channels CypherDen and Flashgitz, premiering their future content on Rooster Teeth First.

2018: Let's Play Live Returns to Austin

Let's Play Live returned to its original Austin location in 2018, held the night before the start of RTX.

2018: 2018 Extra Life Fundraising

The 2018 Extra Life stream by Rooster Teeth raised US$1,417,288 for Extra Life and Dell Children's Medical Center.

January 2019: gen:LOCK Release Delayed

Initially slated for a late 2018 release, gen:LOCK's launch was pushed back to January 2019, allowing for further development and refinement of the series.

January 26, 2019: gen:LOCK Premieres

gen:LOCK, the mecha action drama series created by RWBY producer Gray G. Haddock, premiered on January 26, 2019.

January 31, 2019: Yvonne Secretan's Retirement

On January 31, 2019, Yvonne Secretan, COO of Rooster Teeth, announced her retirement.

February 4, 2019: ScrewAttack YouTube Channel Rebranded

On February 4, 2019, the ScrewAttack YouTube channel was renamed DEATH BATTLE!, reflecting its focus on the show, and the ScrewAttack section on Rooster Teeth's website became an incomplete archive.

February 14, 2019: The Know Rebranded as Inside Gaming

On February 14, 2019, Rooster Teeth relaunched Machinima's Inside Gaming brand, renaming The Know to Inside Gaming.

February 15, 2019: Rooster Teeth Partners with Hasbro

On February 15, 2019, Rooster Teeth announced a partnership with Hasbro for a 2020 animated Netflix series based on the Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy toyline.

February 2019: Rooster Teeth severs ties with Vic Mignogna

In February 2019, Rooster Teeth severed ties with voice actor Vic Mignogna following allegations of sexual harassment, signifying their response to serious accusations against individuals associated with the company.

March 9, 2019: gen:LOCK Season 1 Concludes

The first season of gen:LOCK concluded on March 9, 2019, leaving fans eager for more of the mecha action drama.

April 2019: Cow Chop Hints at Disbandment

In April 2019, Cow Chop implied they would be disbanding by the end of the year.

April 26, 2019: Ezra Cooperstein Steps Down

On April 26, 2019, Ezra Cooperstein stepped down as President of Rooster Teeth.

May 1, 2019: Game Attack Goes Independent

On May 1, 2019, Game Attack announced their independence from Rooster Teeth and the LetsPlay family.

May 2019: Sugar Pine 7 Leaves Rooster Teeth

In May 2019, Sugar Pine 7 announced their departure from the Rooster Teeth family.

May 20, 2019: Camp Camp Season 4 Announced

On May 20, 2019, Rooster Teeth announced the fourth season of Camp Camp, continuing the comedic misadventures at the dysfunctional summer camp.

June 1, 2019: Camp Camp Season 4 Premieres

The fourth season of Camp Camp premiered on the Rooster Teeth website on June 1, 2019, offering new episodes to eager fans.

June 2019: Negative work culture allegations surface

In June 2019, multiple anonymous reviews from Glassdoor surfaced, alleging a negative work environment at Rooster Teeth Animation, characterized by excessive overtime, inadequate compensation, and over-reliance on temporary staff. This led to the resignation of Gray Haddock, the Head of Animation, shortly after the allegations emerged.

August 3, 2019: Immersion Shark Week Special

On August 3, 2019, Burnie Burns, Gavin Free, and Michael Jones filmed a special episode of Immersion for Discovery channel's Shark Week, which included riding a mechanical shark, surfing on a shark-like boat, and diving with sharks.

August 13, 2019: Vicious Circle Released

Rooster Teeth's first original IP game, Vicious Circle, was released on Steam on August 13, 2019.

September 12, 2019: Layoffs and Leadership Changes

On September 12, 2019, Rooster Teeth laid off 13% of its workforce, approximately 50 employees. Two weeks later, Jordan Levin was named general manager, and several founders stepped down into creative roles, including Matt Hullum, Burnie Burns, and Geoff Ramsey.

October 24, 2019: gen:LOCK Renewed for Season 2

On October 24, 2019, Rooster Teeth announced the renewal of gen:LOCK for a second season, continuing the mecha action drama for fans.

November 20, 2019: Michael Quinn's arrest and dismissal

On November 20, 2019, Michael Quinn, Rooster Teeth's Vice President of Product Research and Engineering, was apprehended for domestic violence against his wife. Rooster Teeth subsequently terminated Quinn's employment three days later.

December 13, 2019: Joe Clary and Sean Hinz Appointed Co-Heads of Rooster Teeth Animation

On December 13, 2019, Joe Clary and Sean Hinz were promoted to co-heads of Rooster Teeth Animation, succeeding Gray Haddock.

December 2019: Promotions in Animation Department

In December 2019, Rooster Teeth promoted Doreen Copeland to VP, Head of Production, and Joe Clary and Sean Hinz to Co-Heads of Animation, leading day-to-day operations across all animated productions.

2019: Greene and Sonntag Leave Funhaus

Greene and Sonntag left Funhaus in 2019, further changing the composition of the team.

2019: Rooster Teeth Experiences Revenue Drop

In 2019, Rooster Teeth faced a significant financial setback, experiencing a revenue decline of nearly $20 million, which later contributed to AT&T's consideration of selling the company.

2019: 2019 Extra Life Fundraising

In 2019, Rooster Teeth's Extra Life stream raised US$1,222,371 for Dell Children's Medical Center.

2019: ScrewAttack YouTube Rebrands as DEATH BATTLE!

The ScrewAttack YouTube channel was officially rebranded as DEATH BATTLE! in 2019, focusing solely on the popular show.

June 2020: Joel Heyman and Burnie Burns Departures

In June 2020, Joel Heyman announced he was laid off from Rooster Teeth and would no longer perform in Red vs. Blue. Burnie Burns also resigned but maintained a first-look deal with the company.

August 2020: A.J. Feliciano Becomes Head of The Roost

A.J. Feliciano took over as the head of The Roost in August 2020, marking a change in leadership for the podcast network.

August 2020: Diversity Initiative

In August 2020, Rooster Teeth announced it was reviewing its online content library as part of a diversity initiative.

October 2020: Autumn Farrell and Alanah Pearce Leave Inside Gaming

Autumn Farrell and Alanah Pearce left Inside Gaming in October 2020.

October 2020: Ryan Haywood and Adam Kovic scandals

In October 2020, Ryan Haywood of Achievement Hunter and Adam Kovic, co-founder of Funhaus, were both implicated in separate scandals involving leaked explicit content. Kovic departed from the company, and Haywood was subsequently fired following allegations of inappropriate behavior with underage fans.

October 2020: The Roost Adds The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of Podcast

In October 2020, The Roost started representing the prop collecting podcast The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of.

October 2020: Multiple Funhaus Departures

October 2020 saw several departures from Rooster Teeth's Funhaus division, including key members who had been with the group for many years.

2020: 2020 Extra Life Fundraising

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rooster Teeth shortened the 2020 Extra Life stream to 12 hours, raising a total of US$1,163,801 for Dell Children's Medical Center.

2020: Internal changes implemented at Rooster Teeth

In 2020, Rooster Teeth implemented internal changes, including the introduction of pay bands and the replacement of the entire Human Resources department, as part of ongoing efforts to improve the company's work environment.

2020: Virtual "RTX at Home" Held

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, RTX 2020 was held virtually as "RTX at Home" from September 15-25.

2020: Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy

Rooster Teeth, in partnership with Hasbro, is slated to release an animated Netflix series based on the Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy toyline in 2020.

January 5, 2021: Inside Gaming Daily Ends

On January 5, 2021, Rooster Teeth announced the end of Inside Gaming's daily show.

January 2021: Rooster Teeth and AEW Partner for Podcast

Rooster Teeth collaborated with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) to create the podcast Wrestling With The Week in January 2021, tapping into the professional wrestling audience.

April 2021: AT&T Explores Sale of Rooster Teeth

In April 2021, reports emerged that AT&T was considering selling Rooster Teeth, following a significant revenue drop of nearly $20 million in 2019.

September 2021: YouTube Channel Milestone

As of September 2021, Rooster Teeth's primary YouTube channel reached 9.18 million subscribers and over 6 billion video views. Including all other channels, they maintained over 45 million subscribers.

September 2021: The Roost Exceeds 100 Shows

By September 2021, The Roost had grown to encompass over 100 shows and achieved 300 million impressions per month, indicating significant expansion and reach.

November 4, 2021: gen:LOCK Season 2 Premieres on HBO Max

The second season of gen:LOCK premiered on HBO Max on November 4, 2021, marking its debut on the streaming platform.

April 2022: Rooster Teeth Included in Warner Bros. Discovery Merger

Despite the exploration of a sale, Rooster Teeth ultimately remained part of AT&T and was included in the merger that resulted in the formation of Warner Bros. Discovery in April 2022.

October 2022: Kdin Jenzen's allegations spark change

In October 2022, Kdin Jenzen, a former Achievement Hunter employee, publicly shared her negative experiences at Rooster Teeth, including allegations of a demanding work culture, unfair pay, and homophobic and transphobic harassment from senior management. This sparked apologies from Achievement Hunter members, including co-founder Geoff Ramsey, and prompted Rooster Teeth to announce a reduced content release schedule and initiate steps to enhance work culture and address pay equity.

April 1, 2023: Rooster Teeth Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Rebranding

On April 1, 2023, Rooster Teeth marked its 20th anniversary with a rebranding initiative. This included a new logo featuring a stylized "R" resembling a rooster and a shift to a red and blue color scheme. The company also adopted a new slogan, "Just Playing", and launched a 20-week campaign leading up to the 2023 RTX Convention, showcasing classic content and fan favorites.

May 2023: Rooster Teeth Podcast Restructured

In May 2023, Rooster Teeth Podcast reached over 750 episodes and transitioned to a multi-segment format with new hosts.

July 7, 2023: New Camp Camp Episodes Announced at RTX

During Rooster Teeth's annual convention, RTX, held on July 7, 2023, it was announced that Camp Camp would return with new episodes on March 1, 2024.

September 18, 2023: Achievement Hunter Becomes Archive Channel

On September 18, 2023, Achievement Hunter was converted into an archive channel.

March 1, 2024: Camp Camp Returns with New Episodes

As announced at RTX 2023, Camp Camp is set to return with new episodes on March 1, 2024, continuing the series' comedic adventures.

March 6, 2024: Announcement of Closure

On March 6, 2024, Rooster Teeth announced that the company would shut down, marking the end of an era for the internet media and production company.

April 15, 2024: Shutdown of First Program and Website

On April 15, 2024, Rooster Teeth announced that the First program, along with their website and apps, would shut down on May 15, 2024.

April 2024: Rooster Teeth Announces Closure

In April 2024, Rooster Teeth's general manager, Jordan Levin, announced the company's impending closure over the subsequent months. The reasons cited included changes in consumer behavior, monetization challenges across platforms, advertising, and patronage. It was also reported that Rooster Teeth had been unprofitable for a decade and experienced a significant drop in subscribers to its "First" service.

April 2024: Night Acquires The Roost

In April 2024, The Roost was acquired by Night, a talent management company known for representing popular YouTubers and Twitch streamers like MrBeast.