Robotics company Anki lays off entire workforce ahead of closure

Anki, the robotics and artificial intelligence company known in the games industry for combining physical toys and mobile games, is shutting down on Wednesday.

As reported by Vox, the company has struggled to secure crucial financing in recent months, and has now been left "without significant funding to support a hardware and software business" and bridge its long-term product roadmap.

Nearly 200 employees are due to be laid off as a result of the closure, all of whom will receive a week of severance pay. 

Although not strictly a video game company, Anki has created a number of robots and toys -- such as the Cozmo bot and Drive cars -- that integrate smartphone games and apps, and has often infused its real-world toys with traditional game design principles.

"Despite our past successes, we pursued every financial avenue to fund our future product development and expand on our platforms," reads a statement handed to Vox. 

"A significant financial deal at a late stage fell through with a strategic investor and we were not able to reach an agreement. We’re doing our best to take care of every single employee and their families, and our management team continues to explore all options available."