Update: A spokesperson for Annapurna has reached out to us to point out that Hector Sanchez is the President of Interactive and New Media at Annapurna, and has not replaced Nathan Gary as the president of Annapurna Interactive, as previously reported.
Original Article: The entire staff of video game publisher Annapurna Interactive has reportedly resigned. The label – part of billionaire film producer Megan Ellison’s Annapurna empire – had been negotiating with its owner to spin-off as its own independent entity. According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier these talks broke down, prompting president Nathan Gary and around two dozen other staff to resign.
A spokesperson for Annapurna Interactive confirmed discussions had taken place over a potential spin-off, which had failed. “Our top priority is continuing to support our developer and publishing partners during this transition,” said Ellison in a statement. “We’re committed to not only our existing slate of games but also expanding our presence in the interactive space as we continue to look for opportunities to take a more integrated approach to linear and interactive storytelling across film and TV, gaming, and theatre.”
Naturally, this will have a huge impact on game developers who’ve signed publishing partnerships with the studio. Upcoming games scheduled to be published by the company include Wanderstop, the cosy tea shop tycoon with a dark twist, and Mixtape, the next game from the makers of The Artful Escape.
Hector Sanchez has been appointed the role of president, and has apparently ensured partners that all existing contracts will be honoured and departed staff will be replaced. But understandably, replacing the entire team will take time – and will ultimately result in enormous disruption.
Annapurna Interactive has developed a name for helping to incubate prestige indie projects, including Outer Wilds and Stray, to name just two. Departing president Gary spent over ten years of his career at Sony’s Santa Monica Studio, where he was instrumental in bringing through incubated projects like Journey and The Unfinished Swan.
[source bloomberg.com]
Comments 46
That is insane... I really enjoyed Stray through Extra.
I just saw this morning that Xbox also just laid off 650 employees.
Thankfully not a great studio anyway. But this has never happened before I guess. With all the layoffs I doubt any studio is gonna take them so they have might have shot themselves in the foot because they're entitled. But when they get to the job market with these conditions they'll know they ***** up.
This would be horrible, Annapurna are one of the best indie labels out there. It just seems to be one terrible blow after another in the world of video game studios these days.
@OthmaneAD How can anyone say they're not a great studio? That is madness. Publishers of indie gems like What Remains of Edith Finch, Outer Wilds, Neon White, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes and so many more.
They might not have made a name as a developer, but they have perhaps the greatest indie publishing track record of all, together with Devolver.
When is this economy going to get better? It’s not just gaming that’s having this kind of problem. It feels like everywhere you look, “Layoffs, mass exodus, etc” but also “Can’t find people, lack of leads, etc” from the business side of thing. The last few years have felt like a spiral. Man, I hate seeing my favorite industry experience this over and over again, on the daily.
I'm guessing they (Gary & the others who left) already had a backup investor/partner for their plan to start something new. If not, then something must've gone horribly wrong during discussions.
The Outer Wilds was such a masterclass in storytelling in a game-format. Luckily it sounds like publishing duties will continue.
And Stray just launched on Switch a few weeks ago 😱
@Ainu20 what remains of Edith finch is one of the worst games I've played and I have the platinum for that like 5 years ago
@somnambulance It’s never going to get better than it is. Late stage capitalism baby, record profits funnelled directly to the top and everyone else squeezed and squeezed!
@OthmaneAD not a great studio!?
@OthmaneAD why would you platinum a game you don't enjoy?
@nessisonett oh it'll get better. I mean after a crash, second depression and another world war or two it'll be best a golden age for the survivors!
@somnambulance yeah it's interesting isn't it? Every company fires everyone they can then complains they can't find hires. If course what they really mean is "can't find English as a fifth language ivy League graduate degree candidates with 10 years experience in a precise niche role willing to work 90 hours a week for $20k and no full time benefits."
But it's not a recession, nope, not at all. Will just borrow more money from China, plug the debt with it and look at that, the economy is better than ever!
I have a feeling that Annapurna will cave and get them back
@Ainu20 I have to imagine they have an investor and all those staff are going to start their own company. At the end of the day, they were trying to become independent.
I’m confident this team will be back fairly soon under a new name.
@OthmaneAD What an insane take. You might not like what you've played but you can't deny their catalog:
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Hohokum
Stray
Neon White
Solar Ash
The Artful Escape
The Pathless
The Unfinished Swan
Kentucky Route Zero
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Telling Lies
Outer Wilds
Journey
Gone Home
Donut County
Gorogoa
What Remains of Edith Finch
One of the best publishers out there honestly.
@hi_drnick because it's a 3h platinum
Wow, that’s not good.
Wild...still (😣) oof!
@OthmaneAD wait..... what??
Not a great studio?
They was a publisher and helped publish many great indie titles.
Do you even know what your talking about
Why do I feel there's more to this story?
Anyways, since all the technical staff pulled out they could probably start a new company, this time with less shenanigans involved.
I guess that's Blade Runner 2033 dead then.
I'm sure that by the end of the day, we'll have found a way to blame this on the PS5 Pro.
@tabris95 that's a pretty long list of pure crap tbf
@OthmaneAD thanks for telling me all I need to know about you
@Deljo Every one of those games from that "pure crap" list is sitting between an 75 to 95 on metacritic. Name a more consistent publisher.
Oh wow, they have been my favorite indie publisher for a while, that sucks, hopefully they form their own brand or maybe join Kepler who are quickly becoming the next indie star
@OthmaneAD Please leave. Trolling is for kids on Twitter.
@LuXifer I thought exactly the same. Either that or when the bosses left they pulled a Jerry Maguire and they all Renee Zellwegered (don't know her characters name as it isn't in the movie title).
Removed - inappropriate
@OthmaneAD Obviously trolling when you said you got the platinum 5 years ago. No platinum on PS4. PS5 version has been out for 2 years.
@Enigk
lol, yeah must've been some high grade drama. Would've loved to be a fly on the wall during that meeting. 😁
I envision a Mad Men scenario where they scrounge up all the files and contacts (maybe a few promising new IPs) that they can get away with within the law...and making a run for it. 😋
Guess we'll know if they landed safely on their feet soon enough. 🤔
In the shorter ti medium term might not make too much difference to gamers for games already published & out there.
BUT will be a right royal pain to indie devs either working on unreleased titles,or existing ones recently released regarding console ports, patch updates etc.,if managed by the publisher.
New staff,& wherein they need to learn the various PSN,Eshop,,XB Store backends,ditto the third party who might’ve had good relationships with the old staff are suddenly dealing with new crew for PSN,Gamepass deals etc.
The old crew likely have a backer,& be up & running sooner than later,but the indie devs tied to existing deals will be left feeling like the meat in the sandwich meantime!
@OthmaneAD Just because you don't like something doesn't make it rubbish or crap in general 🙄 Annapurna has been a generally great studio with great games. Facts.
I wonder if we'll ever hear what actually happened.
Two dozen real human beings, all with lives outside work, bills to pay, taxes, children to feed, etc, just don't simultaneously up and quit their source of income all at once without a damn good reason.
Negotiations falling through on "spinning off" their division, what ever that means, isn't enough on it's own. What was the impetus to want to do that spin off to begin with? Why was the alternative so unacceptable for so many people?
Realistically; What heinous ***** was the parent company/owner trying to pull that was so bad an entire office was willing to bail as a favorable alternative?
And what does this mean for Remedy?
@OthmaneAD I'm very jealous of you if What Remains of Edith Finch is one of the worst games you've ever played.
I'm really shocked when I was reading this. Annapurna Interactive was one of the best - if not the best - indie publisher out there!!!
@DeePerkins you're right. I forgot there was no platinum on the ps4 version but I got all trophies there
Crazy news! I imagine the team that's left will be back soon enough under a new guise, but that's still pretty shocking to see.
@Tevor Remedy's deal was with the parent company so they're unaffected.
But yeah, there has to be more than 'You won't let us be our own corporate entity? Fine we all quit!' My money is on an unfair amount of revenue flowing back to the Big Suits at homebase rather than paying/incentivising the people who actually pulled in the revenue.
Without more information it's hard to know who's really at fault here. What we do know is that devs and gamers will suffer if this isn't fixed.
But with the limited information we are privy to it does seem to me to be pretty arrogant to try for a powerplay to gain control of Annapurna Games and when your parent company doesn't let you go to all resign. That said if they ALL want to resign there is likely probably cause.
But I don't really care who's to blame, either way we lose.
@OthmaneAD Congrats what do you play Activision Blizzard games or EA games or GTA only.
@themightyant No information but i say it seems arrogant? How can you that when you said you know nothing. I wish more workers had the balls to do that to their employers.
They are very clearly very passionate about working on a game concept close to their hearts.
Its a shame the parent company were not prepared to back it, but I greatly admire them for leaving en mass to go and make the title they care about.
Id much rather play titles made with heart soul and commitment than the next EA or Ubi title designed by marketting men whos only passion is profit.
@somnambulance "Lock everything down, we'll deal with the economy later."
It's later, now.
@nessisonett Spoken like a lifelong employee who doesn't know the meaning of or ever experienced entrepreneurial risk.
@tabris95 I’ve always been a huge fan of the Unfinished Swan! Absolutely amazing game! Always thought it was an internally developed game at Sony.
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