Summary
Two earth-shaking pieces of video game industry stories dropped yesterday. First,Microsoftrevealed it islaying off another 650 staff members, then, the shocking news that every member of theAnnapurna Interactiveteamhad left the publishing housebroke.
Over the past few years, Annapurna has become one of the most reliable indie publishers, helping to release dozens of hits, likeOuter Wilds,Kentucky Route Zero,Stray,Cocoon, andLorelei and the Laser Eyes.
Alongside its library of already-released titles, Annapurna Interactive still has 14 indie games it is scheduled to publish, including the hotly-anticipatedMixtape.
While the impact of what’s happening at Annapurna is likely to affect these games, developers have begun to reassure fans on social media that everythingshouldbe okay.
Studios With Upcoming Games Published By Annapurna Speak Out
When the news of Annapurna’s exodus broke yesterday, the company’s founder said, “Our top priority is continuing to support our developer and publishing partners during this transition.” However, that didn’t stop concerned fans from worrying about the upcoming titles. Because of this, many of these studios have now started to share their own messages on social media.
Arguably, the most high-profile game on Annapurna’s slate is Mixtape by Beethoven & Dinosaur. The studio shared a simple message onTwitter: “Appreciate all those who reached out. Mixtape continues.”
Matt Newell, creator of the upcoming Lushfoil Photography Sim,said that their title will be unaffected"given that the game itself is mostly complete," but they did add that “this news is definitely a loss, the Annapurna Interactive team were great to work with and gave the project a lot of love.”
Another big game set to release shortly is Wanderstop by Team Ivy Road. While the studiocalled the news"a bump in the road we didn’t anticipate," it did say, “The tea is still brewing, and we’re still working hard on Wanderstop!”
Alongside the official Team Ivy Road Twitter account, the studio’s founder,Davey Wreden, said, “We are 100% okay. Nothing’s gonna stop us from getting Wanderstop out the door very soon.”
Although many of the studios have been fairly positive in their messaging thus far, Marimittu Games, creators of the upcoming Project D,were a little more concerned. It posted the message: “This is pretty big news that will impact the game we are currently developing.”
It’s likely to be a turbulent and scary time for these small studios, so if there’s a game that you see that appeals to you, be sure to follow the studio on social media and wishlist the title onSteam.
Annapurna Interactive
Annapurna Interactive is the video games division of Annapurna Pictures, founded in 2016 and focused on original indie games. Many of its titles draw critical acclaim, such as Journey, Outer Wilds, and Kentucky Route Zero.
