Josh Fairhurst steps away from Limited Run Games after ten years: what we know and what changes

4 January 2026
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14 min.
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Josh Fairhurst steps away from Limited Run Games after ten years: what we know and what changes

Summary:

Josh Fairhurst, one of Limited Run Games’ co-founders, says he stepped down as CEO back in September 2025 and will remain president until March 2026. That one-two punch matters because it isn’t a sudden “keys on the desk” moment, it’s a planned handoff. When a founder describes a timeline this clearly, it usually means two things are happening at once: the company is preparing to run smoothly without them at the top, and the founder is already mentally packing a bag for whatever comes next. Fairhurst frames his decision around new opportunities to help bring “dream games” to life, plus additional offers that he calls too tempting to ignore. He also says Limited Run could benefit from new leadership and fresh perspectives, which is a polite way of saying he believes a new voice might be better for the next chapter than the original voice.

For collectors and fans, the biggest takeaway is stability in the near term. A president staying on until March signals continuity while responsibilities shift behind the scenes. It doesn’t automatically mean release plans will change overnight, but it does mean the company’s tone, priorities, and internal processes could start evolving as new leadership settles in. We can also read what he does not say: there’s no named successor in the statement, no detailed roadmap, and no announcement of his next project yet. That combination tends to create noise online, so we focus on what’s actually confirmed, what’s typical during leadership transitions, and what practical steps collectors can take right now to stay calm and informed.

What Josh Fairhurst announced regarding Limited Run Games

Fairhurst’s message is straightforward on the core facts, and that alone makes it worth paying attention. He says he stepped down as CEO back in September 2025, which means the day-to-day “top seat” responsibilities already moved to someone else months before the public announcement. He also says he’s still working at the company as president until March 2026, after which he plans to scale back and redirect his focus. In plain terms, we’re looking at a staged exit rather than an abrupt departure. That distinction matters because staged exits are designed to protect relationships, keep projects moving, and avoid turning a busy release calendar into a game of telephone. If you’ve ever watched someone move out of an apartment, this is the version where the boxes get labeled, the keys get copied, and nobody realizes the couch won’t fit through the door until the last day.

The timeline: CEO role ended in September 2025, president until March 2026

Let’s anchor the dates so we don’t drift into rumor fog. Fairhurst says the CEO change happened in September 2025, and his president role continues until March 2026. That tells us the leadership transition is already in motion and has been for a while. When a company does it this way, the goal is usually to separate “strategic leadership” from “institutional knowledge.” The new leadership gets space to run the operation, while the outgoing leader remains available to smooth edges, introduce partners, and close out major initiatives. It’s also a signal to stakeholders that the company expects business continuity. Collectors don’t need to interpret this as an instant pivot in what Limited Run Games releases, but it is fair to expect gradual changes in how the company communicates, prioritizes, and executes as the handoff completes.

What “scaling back” can look like inside Limited Run Games

“Scaling back” is one of those phrases that sounds simple until you try to pin it to a calendar. In a company like Limited Run Games, it often means the founder stops being the person every major decision funnels through. Instead of approving everything, they might only advise on a handful of key relationships, special projects, or high-stakes launches. They may still be available for introductions, partner trust-building, and legacy knowledge, but they aren’t driving the car anymore. Think of it like moving from chef to taste-tester: you still know what the dish should be, but you’re not the one sweating over every pan. The important part for fans is that this phrasing suggests a transition that’s intended to be controlled. It does not read like a crisis message. It reads like someone deliberately choosing what to keep and what to let go.

Why this matters beyond one executive change

It’s tempting to treat leadership news as corporate background noise, but Limited Run Games sits in a niche where trust and expectations are unusually personal. People aren’t just buying a game, they’re buying a promise: a physical version, delivered later, with a specific presentation, often tied to nostalgia and collector pride. When a founder steps back, it can affect the company’s “personality” in subtle ways even if the product category stays the same. Policies, timelines, customer communication, and quality checks can tighten or loosen depending on who holds the wheel. Fairhurst also says the company could benefit from new leadership and fresh perspectives. That’s not a throwaway line. It’s an acknowledgement that the next phase should not be a carbon copy of the previous one. For a collector-focused business, that’s either exciting, terrifying, or both, like opening a long-awaited package and hoping the corners aren’t dinged.

Limited Run Games and the physical-first niche

Limited Run Games built its identity around turning digital releases into physical products, often with collector-friendly extras. That niche is still meaningful because physical ownership is a different emotional experience than a download license. A shelf full of spines, a box you can hold, an insert you can flip through – these things scratch an itch that a cloud library never quite reaches. At the same time, the niche is operationally demanding: manufacturing schedules, print runs, approvals, shipping, and customer support all have to line up. Leadership changes can matter here more than in a purely digital business because there are more moving parts, more vendors, and more moments where communication can slip. So when Fairhurst signals that new leadership might be better for the next decade, we can read it as recognition that the company’s challenge isn’t only “what to release,” but “how to execute reliably at scale.”

What his statement actually says

Fairhurst’s wording does a few things at once: it confirms the timeline, explains motivation, and reassures supporters that the company’s future remains bright in his view. He calls the decision difficult and says Limited Run Games has been his life for ten years, which is a very human way to describe a decade of building something that probably consumed most waking hours. He also says he loves the people he works with, which is both a personal nod and a professional one. Then he pivots to the “why now” angle: opportunities to help bring dream games to life, plus even more opportunities arriving after he started considering the move. That’s the emotional spine of the message. He frames the choice as a rare moment where saying no would lead to regret. If you’ve ever stayed in a comfortable job while a door quietly creaked open elsewhere, you understand the vibe instantly.

“Dream games” and “irresistible opportunities” in plain English

Without inventing details he didn’t provide, we can still understand what this language usually communicates. “Dream games” suggests passion projects – the kind of work someone talks about with a grin before the sentence is even finished. It also implies active involvement in making something happen, not just distributing it. Fairhurst doesn’t name a studio, a publisher, or a specific title, so we treat it as a directional clue rather than a confirmation. The key factual point is that he’s redirecting his focus toward new adventures he believes are worth the risk. He also explicitly says he’ll continue to support Limited Run Games as a fan, customer, and partner, which reads like a bridge kept intact, not burned. If you’re watching this as a collector, that “partner” word is interesting because it implies future collaboration is still possible even after his day-to-day role ends.

The parts that are crystal clear, and the parts he keeps private

Here’s what’s clear: he stepped down as CEO in September 2025, he remains president until March 2026, and he intends to scale back after that while pursuing new opportunities. He also says he believes Limited Run Games could benefit from fresh leadership, and he expresses confidence in the company’s upcoming slate of releases for 2026. Here’s what he keeps private: the identity of the new leadership, what his next work specifically is, and how his transition affects internal structure beyond titles. That privacy is normal, and it’s usually intentional. Companies and partners often prefer announcements to happen in the right order, especially when contracts, staffing, and marketing plans are involved. So if you’re feeling the itch to fill in blanks, the healthiest move is to treat the blanks like blanks. A mystery box is fun in games, but it’s less fun when it’s your preorder timeline.

Leadership transition: what can change quickly

Even when a company’s mission stays the same, leadership transitions can change the “how” faster than people expect. Some changes are internal and invisible, like decision-making speed or approval layers. Others are external and immediately noticeable, like how the company talks to customers when something slips. For a physical-release business, the most sensitive areas tend to be scheduling discipline, quality checks, vendor management, and customer communication. The good news is that the public timeline suggests this transition is being handled with planning, not panic. The realistic view is that transitions still create friction because humans are involved, and humans have different habits. If the company is a ship, a new captain might keep the destination but adjust how the crew runs the deck. You might not notice day one. You’ll notice over a season.

The operational side: schedules, manufacturing, and fulfillment

Operations are where promises either become products or become apology emails. Physical releases depend on manufacturing slots, component availability, printing approvals, and logistics that can change due to factors outside anyone’s control. Leadership matters because it sets the tolerance for risk: do we announce early and adjust later, or do we wait until things are locked? It also sets the tone for quality gates, like what must be true before a release is considered ready to ship. When a founder steps away, operational teams often gain either more autonomy or more structure, depending on the replacement leadership style. Neither is automatically good or bad. What collectors should watch for are patterns: clearer ETAs, fewer surprise changes, more consistent updates, or a tighter approach to how and when dates are communicated. These are the “quiet” signals that tell you how the handoff is settling.

The customer side: support, refunds, and communication

If you’ve bought physical collector editions online, you already know the emotional rollercoaster: excitement, waiting, checking inboxes, waiting more, then the package finally shows up like a rare spawn. Customer support is where that rollercoaster either feels manageable or miserable. A leadership change can affect staffing priorities, response expectations, and how transparent the company is when things go wrong. Fairhurst’s statement includes a supportive tone toward the company’s future, but it doesn’t outline customer policy changes. So we don’t assume any. What we can do is stay practical: communication habits often reflect leadership values, and values show up in consistency. If updates become clearer and more predictable, that’s a meaningful improvement. If updates become sparse or overly polished while questions pile up, that’s a warning sign. The collector mindset is detail-focused, and companies in this space ignore details at their own risk.

What likely stays steady in the short term

Because Fairhurst stayed on as president through March 2026, the near-term period is designed for continuity. That means partners and ongoing releases don’t have to suddenly renegotiate relationships or reinvent workflows overnight. He also says the company has an “incredible slate of releases” planned for the next year, which is meant to reassure fans that the pipeline is active and the future looks bright. The smartest way to interpret that is simple: release planning for 2026 was already underway long before January, and leadership changes rarely erase an existing pipeline immediately. If anything, this kind of pipeline tends to be one reason founders choose staged exits. It gives everyone time to keep the machine running while responsibilities shift. If you want a metaphor, this is changing tires while the car is still rolling – carefully, deliberately, and preferably without dropping the lug nuts into the void.

The 2026 slate and why the handoff timing matters

March is a meaningful handoff marker because it sits after the holiday wave and into a new calendar rhythm. It gives the company time to reset internally, close out any year-end obligations, and move into a new operational cadence. Fairhurst’s statement positions that timing as intentional, not accidental. For collectors, “steady in the short term” should look like the usual cycle: announcements, ordering windows, production updates, and shipping notices arriving when they arrive. The big difference is psychological. When people know leadership is changing, they tend to watch everything more closely, like a referee suddenly paying attention to a player who’s been trash-talking all match. That heightened attention can be good because it encourages better communication. It can also create overreactions to normal delays. The healthiest approach is to track facts, not vibes.

What to watch for next from Fairhurst

Fairhurst ends his message with a confident tease: once people see what he’ll be working on, they’ll understand why he couldn’t pass it up. That’s exciting, and it’s also intentionally vague. The key is not to turn vagueness into a rumor factory. If we want to stay grounded, we watch for concrete signals: official announcements tied to his name, verified company pages, or clearly stated roles in new projects. If he’s taking on work that helps “bring dream games to life,” that could involve development, publishing, production, partnerships, or something adjacent. But we do not need to guess which one to understand the core truth: he’s moving toward hands-on opportunities that he considers rare. Also worth noting is his phrasing about continuing to support Limited Run Games as a partner. That suggests his next work does not have to be positioned as a competitor to Limited Run Games. It could coexist.

Clues to look for without guessing the projects

If you want to be smart about this, focus on what can be verified quickly. Look for announcements where Fairhurst is listed in official leadership credits, press releases, or platform holder communications. Watch for interviews where he describes his next role in clear terms, not just motivational language. Also watch for timing: many industry announcements cluster around major event windows, so news may land when it’s most visible. Another practical clue is collaboration language. If he is “helping bring dream games to life,” you’ll likely see references to partnerships, greenlights, or support for teams that already have something in progress. Until then, treat the tease as a tease. It’s like hearing the first notes of a soundtrack before the boss fight. You know something is coming. You just don’t know which room you’re walking into yet.

What collectors can do right now

Collector energy is powerful, but it can also turn anxious fast, especially when leadership news hits. The most helpful move is to stay organized. Keep a simple list of your open orders, expected shipping windows, and where updates typically arrive. Save confirmation emails and order numbers. If you follow Limited Run Games announcements closely, consider separating “interest items” from “money already spent” items, because those require different levels of attention. Leadership changes do not automatically change your rights as a customer, and they don’t automatically change how fulfillment works tomorrow. So the goal is calm readiness, not panic. Think of it like packing an umbrella. You’re not declaring a storm. You’re just refusing to get soaked if it rains. And yes, refreshing tracking pages every hour still counts as cardio, but we both know it’s not the healthiest kind.

Practical steps for pre-orders, shipping updates, and expectations

Start with the basics: verify your shipping address on any active orders, especially if you’ve moved recently or use mail forwarding. Make sure your email filters are not burying order updates, because missing a notice is the easiest way to turn a normal delay into a personal crisis. If an item has a published shipping window, treat it as a window, not a guarantee, and plan your expectations accordingly. If you’re worried about a specific order, use official support channels and include your order number and clear questions. Keep your messages short and factual, because clarity tends to get better results than venting. Also, consider how you approach new purchases during a transition period. If uncertainty stresses you out, waiting for more clarity is a perfectly reasonable strategy. Collecting is supposed to be fun, not a second job where the paycheck is a cardboard box.

The bigger industry pattern

Founders stepping back after about a decade is common in the games business, especially in niches that require constant firefighting. Ten years is long enough to build systems, build relationships, and also burn a few emotional fuses along the way. When Fairhurst says the company could benefit from new leadership and fresh perspectives, he’s describing a pattern we see across creative industries: the skills that build a thing are not always the same skills that scale a thing. Sometimes the best gift a founder can give a company is space to evolve beyond their personal instincts. That doesn’t mean the past was wrong. It means the future needs different tools. For fans, this is a reminder that companies are living organisms made of people, and people change. The healthiest outcome is not that nothing changes. It’s that the right things change for the right reasons.

Why founders step aside, and why it can help a company grow

There are a few grounded reasons this can be a positive move. A new leader can bring stronger operational discipline, different communication habits, or a fresh approach to long-standing pain points. A founder stepping aside can also reduce bottlenecks if too many decisions previously depended on one person’s attention. Fairhurst’s statement frames his exit as a choice driven by opportunity, not by conflict, and he emphasizes ongoing support for the company. That kind of framing usually aims to keep trust intact with partners and customers. For Limited Run Games, the next months will likely be about proving continuity while earning confidence under new leadership. For collectors, the practical strategy stays the same: track what’s confirmed, watch how communication evolves, and make purchasing decisions based on your comfort level. If the next chapter is stronger, you’ll feel it in the boring places first – clearer updates, steadier timelines, fewer surprises.

Conclusion

Josh Fairhurst’s announcement is a planned transition, not a sudden disappearance. He says he stepped down as CEO in September 2025, stays on as president until March 2026, and then scales back to pursue new opportunities he believes he’d regret ignoring. For collectors, the best way to process this is to separate emotion from logistics. It’s normal to feel curious, excited, or cautious, but the facts point to continuity in the near term while leadership responsibility shifts behind the scenes. His message also signals that Limited Run Games is expected to keep moving forward with a 2026 release slate, even as the company benefits from fresh leadership. Until his next work is revealed in a verifiable way, the smartest approach is patience and practicality: keep your order information organized, watch for official updates, and let the company prove how the transition looks in action.

FAQs
  • Did Josh Fairhurst leave Limited Run Games immediately?
    • No. He says he stepped down as CEO in September 2025, and he remains at the company as president until March 2026 before scaling back.
  • Does this mean Limited Run Games will stop doing physical releases?
    • Nothing in the statement says that. The announcement focuses on leadership changes and his personal next steps, while expressing confidence in the company’s upcoming releases.
  • Do we know who the new CEO is?
    • Not from the statement itself. He confirms the timing of his CEO step-down, but he does not name a successor in the text provided.
  • Should collectors worry about existing pre-orders?
    • A leadership transition does not automatically change fulfillment for existing orders. The practical move is to keep your order details handy, verify your address, and follow official updates.
  • What is Fairhurst doing next?
    • He says he is pursuing opportunities to help bring “dream games” to life, but he does not name specific projects or roles in the statement.
Sources
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