thatgamecompany has launched thatgamepublisher, a new label designed to support independent developers creating emotional, artistic and unconventional games while helping them retain their own creative identity.
The studio responsible for one of gaming's most memorable emotional journeys wants to help other developers create experiences capable of leaving a similar impression.
thatgamecompany, the developer behind Journey, Flower and Sky: Children of the Light, has announced thatgamepublisher, a new publishing label focused on supporting independent developers and games that can "move people through play."
It's a direction that feels particularly fitting for the studio.
Journey became celebrated for telling an emotional story with remarkably little traditional dialogue, while Sky: Children of the Light continued that emphasis on human connection by building its experience around players exploring and interacting together.
Now, that philosophy is being extended beyond thatgamecompany's own projects.
According to the announcement, thatgamepublisher is looking for developers with a strong creative vision, particularly teams exploring emotional, artistic or otherwise unconventional experiences.
The publisher plans to provide funding alongside production, marketing, distribution and strategic support, drawing on almost two decades of experience from thatgamecompany itself.
Importantly, it isn't looking to turn those developers into extensions of thatgamecompany.
The goal is to help independent teams preserve their own creative identity while giving them the resources and experience required to bring their projects to a larger audience.
For smaller studios, that combination could be particularly appealing. Finding investment is one challenge; finding a publishing partner that understands why an unusual or emotionally driven game needs to remain unusual can be another.
No first publishing project has been announced yet, so we'll have to wait to see what kind of games ultimately join the label.
But considering the studio giving out the backing created Journey, there are certainly worse people to have supporting your emotionally ambitious indie game.
Keep Calm and waka waka...
