Mike Zaimont, the former CEO of Lab Zero Games, is currently working as an individual contributor on Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game. His involvement, confirmed by developer Gameplay Group International, has drawn public criticism from industry figures citing past allegations of sexual misconduct made against him in 2020.
Confirmation of Role at Gameplay Group International
Mike Zaimont, known for his previous leadership at Lab Zero Games, has been hired to work on the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender 1v1 fighting game. According to reporting, a representative for Gameplay Group International—the studio developing the title—confirmed that Zaimont currently holds a position as an individual contributor. His specific responsibilities include backend programming, engine architecture, and netcode.
Public Response from Industry Figures
The disclosure of Zaimont’s involvement prompted a public statement from comic book artist Irene Koh, who has contributed to official The Legend of Korra comics. Koh, who shared the news on Bluesky, expressed her disappointment regarding the hiring decision given the franchise’s history of inclusivity.
“As an Avatar + fighting game fan, I was extremely disappointed to hear that he’s involved. I’m proud of my work on the Korra comics & contributions to the IP over the last decade, and I love the team’s history of embracing inclusivity, so taking this job felt like it wasn’t in the spirit of the IP.”
Irene Koh, Comic book artist
Background on 2020 Misconduct Allegations
Zaimont’s professional history has been marked by significant controversy since 2020, when multiple individuals within the fighting game community accused him of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior. These accusations included claims from a Twitch streamer known as Bunny, who described his behavior as incredibly disrespectful
and creepy
during private correspondence. Additionally, tournament organizer Carbon Grey alleged that Zaimont had been making weird, sexual comments
at events for years.
These allegations led to a collapse in the structure of Lab Zero Games. In August 2020, the studio’s board and staff attempted to remove Zaimont from his position as the company’s sole owner. Zaimont rejected these demands, ultimately opting to disband the board and fire the remaining employees. In a subsequent statement provided to Kotaku, Zaimont attributed the layoffs to an inability to meet payroll obligations and did not address the specific allegations of harassment.
Context of the Skullgirls Franchise
The fallout from the 2020 events also affected the Skullgirls franchise, which Zaimont helped develop through his proprietary engine. Following the accusations, publishers and partners, including Autumn Games and Hidden Variable Studios, severed ties with Zaimont and Lab Zero Games. While the development team eventually reformed as Future Club, the franchise has continued to undergo changes. In 2023, Hidden Variable Studios Co-Founder and Creative Director Charley “MightyZug” Price announced a series of updates across the Skullgirls IP, citing a desire to remove legacy content in the spirit of better reflecting our values and our broad vision for Skullgirls moving forward.
While Skullgirls continues to be available as a mobile fighting RPG, providing players with various game modes such as Story and Versus, the studio environment surrounding its creation remains tied to the 2020 restructuring. As of mid-2026, the industry continues to weigh the professional history of developers against their contributions to new projects like the Avatar Legends fighting game.
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