indie publishing Archives

AppWizard

August 5, 2025

Production company Lyrical opens new indie publishing arm

Lyrical Media has launched an indie publishing arm called Lyrical Games, led by Blake Rochkind, formerly of Private Division. The team includes professionals from Private Division, Devolver, Humble, and Microsoft. Lyrical Games has signed three projects, including one from Blackbird Interactive, known for Homeworld 3. The firm emphasizes that developers are often the best stewards of their games and aims to provide attractive deal terms while allowing developers to retain ownership of their intellectual property.

AppWizard

July 21, 2025

Deck 13 vet founds publisher under legacy Artex name

Veterans of the German games industry have established a new indie publishing entity under the Artex name, co-founded by Jan Klose, who was involved in the creation of Deck 13. The initiative aims to discover and support young studios and start-ups, emphasizing creativity, fair conditions, and robust business development. Artex plans to unveil its lineup of indie titles next month at Gamescom, including a console version of the dungeon crawler Cralon, developed by Pithead Studio.

AppWizard

May 20, 2025

Nazara Technologies acquires UK’s console gaming publisher Curve Games for Rs 247 crore

Nazara Technologies has acquired UK-based PC and console game publisher Curve Games for Rs 247 crore (£21.7 million), marking its largest international acquisition to date. This acquisition gives Nazara complete ownership of Curve, which has a portfolio of indie games with over 100 million downloads worldwide, including titles like Human Fall Flat and Lawn Mowing Simulator. The move aims to diversify Nazara's offerings beyond mobile gaming into the PC and console markets, valued at over 0 billion globally. Curve Games reported revenues of Rs 263.5 crore and EBITDA of Rs 114.4 crore in 2024. Nazara plans to allocate Rs 800–1,000 crore for further acquisitions targeting global gaming studios. Other notable acquisitions by Nazara include Fusebox Games, Moonshine Technology, Comic Con India, and others. As of 2:29 pm, Nazara shares were trading at Rs 1,292.8 on the BSE.

AppWizard

April 2, 2025

Disney, Jagex, Codemasters vets found new publisher The CoLab

Three professionals from the UK gaming industry, Darren Newnham, Mark Faulkner, and John Lewis, have launched an indie publishing house called The CoLab. They have experience from companies such as United Label, Fnatic, Disney Interactive, Jagex, PlayFusion, Bossa, Codemasters, and Criterion. The CoLab has three projects in development: a cozy game called Campfire, a cyberpunk shooter named DeadWire, and a strategy game titled Counter Clash. The company has partnered with the charity Safe in Our World to support mental wellbeing in the gaming industry. The CoLab aims to support indie developers during challenging times in the sector, advocating for cooperation and collaboration while addressing issues like mass redundancies and the prioritization of shareholder value over gamers' needs. Their vision includes uniting game creators, sharing resources, and fostering a supportive environment for developers.

AppWizard

March 7, 2025

Pantaloon rolls out publishing label

Pantaloon has launched a new publishing label that includes two titles: the narrative-driven game Sub-Verge and a Solitaire project named Occlude. The newsletter has nearly 30,000 subscribers and aims to support development partners by promoting unconventional and experimental games. The label's motto is “A home for misfits,” reflecting its commitment to nurturing creative minds in the gaming industry.

AppWizard

November 11, 2024

Digital Bros rebrands Hook label as 505 Pulse

Digital Bros has rebranded its Hook Indie Publishing division to 505 Pulse to enhance brand identity and strengthen synergy with its parent company, 505 Games. The company remains committed to supporting independent developers and helping them from concept to global launch. Hook Indie Publishing was founded in July 2022 to provide opportunities for emerging game developers. The rebranding aims to extend the success of 505 Games to a wider range of creative voices in the gaming industry.

AppWizard

November 7, 2024

Take-Two has sold Private Division

Take-Two Interactive has divested its indie publishing label, Private Division, as part of a strategic refocus on larger-scale projects. The sale price and new ownership details are undisclosed, but CEO Strauss Zelnick indicated that more information will be revealed soon. The decision aligns with Take-Two's commitment to its core and mobile businesses, aiming to create sequels to established franchises and develop new intellectual properties. The projects handled by Private Division were deemed too small to fit with Take-Two's ambitions. Private Division was established in December 2017 and has supported independent developers successfully.

AppWizard

August 9, 2024

Versus Evil alum launch new publisher Digital Bandidos

A group of former employees from Versus Evil has established an indie publishing company called Digital Bandidos, led by CEO Steve Escalante and executive producer Lance James. The company focuses on publishing PC and console games with budgets capped at million, addressing the needs of indie developers for strong partnerships, funding, and publishing expertise. Escalante has engaged with studios in North America and Europe to understand their challenges and is committed to supporting indie game developers with improved tools and experience.