Following its exodus last year, the former staff of Annapurna Interactive have reportedly reassembled as a new company and taken control of indie label Private Division’s entire portfolio. The latter was itself sold by Take-Two last year.
If true, the complicated corporate story would effectively see the team responsible for indie hits like Outer Wilds and Sayonara Wild Hearts assume control of the Kerbal Space Program series, upcoming Lord of the Rings agricultural sim Tales of the Shire, and the next game from Pokémon dev Game Freak.
Annapurna Interactive’s entire team walked last year following a dispute with owner Megan Ellison. Meanwhile, Take-Two sold its indie publishing label to an unnamed buyer, which according to Bloomberg, is Texas-based private equity firm Haveli Investments.
It’s claimed that Haveli Investments has struck a deal with the former Annapurna Interactive team to fund their new company and place them in charge of distributing its titles. Considering the team’s undoubted publishing talent, it doesn’t seem like the worst decision in the world.
However, it does come with caveats: Bloomberg reports that the 20 or so Private Division employees Haveli Investments inherited as part of the purchase could be made redundant, although nothing has been confirmed at this stage.
[source bloomberg.com, via eurogamer.net]
Comments 6
I just hope their Blade Runner game is still in development.
I met some of the former staff from Annapurna a long time ago and they couldn't have been nicer people. Whatever this next endeavor is, I hope it isn't diluted by some money-burning nepo baby like Megan Ellison.
What a wild story.
Also, if Game Freak's next game turns out to be whatever they were doing for Private Division and not Legends Z-A, I'll be stunned.
Then again, we know about as much for one as the other so who knows.
Maybe Pokémon really is getting more time in the oven. So long it'll burn
At least it wasn't tenchent or Saudi Arabia.
Tales of the Shire will rival Dustborn’s sales. LOL. Go woke go broke, nice job by the devs to crap all over Tolkiens lore.
@meistergeister while I'm sure your tone will draw ire, there's a clear disregard for Tolkien's lore, as you say. Just leaves the product feeling inauthentic. I'm sure it won't be a problem for many though. Curious to see what the next franchise is that gets 'updated'.
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