High-profile indie game publisher Annapurna Interactive will lay out its forthcoming release slate during a new digital showcase event, to be broadcast next week.
The showcase will be the company’s first since the vast majority of Annapurna’s staff quit last September in a mass exodus – reportedly following internal squabbles over the leadership of the company.
In the past, Annapurna has been hailed as a beacon for the very best of indie game talent, and has helped publish hits such as What Remains of Edith Finch, Outer Wilds, Cocoon and Stray.
This new show, to be held at 5pm UK time next Monday, 24th February is designed to offer a look at what’s next.
Annapurna says the event will last 30 minutes, and include looks at Wanderstop, Skin Deep, Wheel World, Faraway, Lushfoil, To a T, Morsels, and “a few more surprises” – all set to launch in 2025.
Many of these titles are games Annapurna has been working to publish for some time, such as Wanderstop, the next project from The Stanley Parable creator Davey Wreden.
Last year, Wreden said that “nothing’s gonna stop us from getting Wanderstop out the door very soon” despite the upheaval within Annapurna, which he described as a “bump in the road”.
At the time, an Annapurna spokesperson described the loss of its staff as “a baffler”, and pledged it would plod on.
“We’ve had really great conversations with an overwhelming majority of our existing development teams and are grateful for their partnership,” the company said.
“If our inbox is any indication, a ton of developers continue to want to be a part of what we’re building, and we look forward to seeing their pitches. We’ve also had an influx of quality job applicants and are excited to build a team passionate about our mission to tell original stories that aren’t being told elsewhere. PS. We’re hiring.”
Staff members who previously worked at Annapurna have since reportedly reformed as a fresh team. Last month, Bloomberg stated this group had taken on the games and franchises of Private Division, which was sold off by Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive in November last year. These include the Kerbal Space Program series, upcoming Lord of the Rings farming game Tales of the Shire, and a new action-adventure from Pokémon developer Game Freak.
