business development Archives

AppWizard

April 7, 2025

The rights to one of the greatest PC games of all time languished in the vault of a Midwestern insurance firm until a frustrated player bugged them about a re-release, ‘But they asked me if I wanted to do System Shock 3’

Stephen Kick, founder of Nightdive Studios, and Larry Kuperman, VP of business development, discussed the upcoming remaster of System Shock 2 at the Game Developers Conference. Kick revealed that the rights to System Shock were held by an insurance company for a long time, which was unsure how to proceed with them. He contacted the insurance company, which had recently lost the trademark held by EA, allowing Star Insurance to gain full ownership. Kick proposed re-releasing the original games instead of developing a new title, which was accepted. The remaster of System Shock 2 is set to launch on June 26, and Nightdive's remake of the original game won a "best remake" award in 2023.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

Why Sensor Tower acquired VG Insights and how consolidation of data sources could hurt games market

Sensor Tower acquired Video Game Insights, marking its third M&A move following the acquisitions of Pathmatics in 2021 and data.ai in 2024. The company aims to consolidate its position in gaming analytics, expanding its services to include PC and console market intelligence. The acquisitions were partially financed by Riverwood Capital and involved credit-based financing from Bain Capital Credit. VG Insights, founded in 2020, aims to provide comprehensive analytics tools for indie PC game developers, addressing a gap in the market compared to mobile game analytics.

AppWizard

March 23, 2025

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster Preview – How Nightdive Studios approaches remastering an influential classic PC game

Nightdive Studios has released a series of modern ports and remasters, including a ground-up remake of the 1994 classic, System Shock. They acquired the license for System Shock nearly a decade ago and are now working on the System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster, which has taken considerable time to develop. The remaster will feature optimized controller support for modern consoles and will maintain the original emotional resonance of the game. It will include a Vault with media related to the game's original creation. The remaster is set to be released on June 26 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam, Epic, GOG).

AppWizard

February 11, 2025

Coffee Stain and Mojang vets found new publisher Three Friends

A new indie game publishing label named Three Friends has been launched by former industry professionals Albert Säfström, Daniel Kaplan, Sebastian Badylak, and Johan Hermeren, who have experience from companies like Mojang and Coffee Stain. The label aims to support indie titles in the Nordic region, fostering a creative environment for developers. Säfström previously served as CEO of Coffee Stain Publishing, Kaplan has a background in business development at Mojang and Coffee Stain, Badylak has experience in guiding projects at Coffee Stain, and Hermeren has a background in business development at Embracer Group and was CEO of Pieces Interactive. Three Friends emphasizes collaboration and the importance of refining ideas without rushing to market, aiming to partner with developers from early stages to enhance their unique game elements.

AppWizard

February 4, 2025

Fireshine promotes Brian Foote to CEO

Brian Foote has become the CEO of Fireshine Games, having previously served as head of business development since January of the previous year. He has experience as director of business strategy at Team17 and over seven years in public relations at PlayStation. Under his leadership, Fireshine Games has experienced significant growth in its digital sector, achieving success with the releases of Core Keeper and Shadows of Doubt in 2024. Foote is optimistic about the company's release schedule for 2025 and beyond and emphasizes a commitment to providing publishing and co-publishing services to partners.

AppWizard

December 5, 2024

GOG’s Game Preservation Effort Will Include Delisted Titles

GOG has launched a "Good Old Games" preservation program featuring an initial selection of 100 titles, ensuring they are playable on modern PCs with the latest Windows versions and graphics drivers. The program includes ongoing support for bug fixes and a support service for players encountering issues. GOG will continue to support classic titles like Warcraft and Warcraft II, even after their removal from the store by Blizzard. The initiative aims to address the challenges of game preservation, including the complexities of digital ownership and securing rights from publishers. GOG employs open-source emulators for older DOS-based games and has undertaken quality assurance processes for the titles in the program. The company plans to expand the preservation program monthly and has invested in resolving persistent issues, such as a memory leak in Dragon Age: Origins.

Winsage

November 29, 2024

Australian organisations urged to avoid fallout from Windows 10 support deadline

Australian organizations face a significant supply chain challenge as support for Windows 10 ends on October 14, 2025, potentially exposing them to data breaches and regulatory non-compliance. A report by CRN Australia indicates that many businesses are unprepared for the transition to Windows 11, with fewer than 200 business days remaining. A global shortage of devices may hinder the replacement of aging technology. Approximately 4 million to 5 million devices have been sold annually, but millions of Windows 10 PCs still require replacement. Continuing to use Windows 10 post-support may lead to non-compliance with cybersecurity insurance policies, reluctance from businesses to engage with unsupported environments, and application incompatibility. Microsoft and Dicker Data are working together to provide training for IT professionals and assist businesses in migrating applications. An extended support update program is available, but partners advise against it due to high costs associated with maintaining outdated hardware.

AppWizard

November 7, 2024

Curve Games expands China operation

Indie publisher Curve Games is expanding its presence in the Chinese market by establishing a dedicated business development unit, which will more than double its resources in the region. The company has partnered with Tencent's TiMi Studio Group to enhance its influence in the local gaming landscape. Curve's VP for Asia Publishing, Glenn Wang, noted the emergence of indie companies and the interest from various entertainment firms in content. Executive chair Stuart Dinsey highlighted the importance of the Asian market to Curve's strategy and announced the formation of a five-member team to secure new publishing deals. Curve's recent participation in Gamescom Asia in Singapore has increased confidence in the region's potential for indie publishers.