All 25 employees on Annapurna Interactive’s games team – publisher of acclaimed indie games such as Outer Wilds, Stray and Neon White – have reportedly been laid off after talks to spin off the division into an “independent entity” broke down. Resigned.
According to Bloomberg, and confirmed by IGN, Annapurna Interactive and New Media President Hector Sanchez has assured partner developers that the company will continue to honor existing contracts.
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According to reports, Annapurna Interactive president Nathan Gary and his team have been in talks with Annapurna Films owner Megan Ellison to spin off the gaming unit into an “independent entity.” Ellison Sen at some point withdrew from these negotiations. As this development unfolded, Gary and other employees resigned.
“All 25 members of the Annapurna Interactive team resigned en masse,” Gary and the team told Bloomberg in a joint statement. “This is one of the hardest decisions we have ever made, and we do not take it lightly. action.
Of course, these developments create uncertainty and concern for the studios and developers Annapurna currently has partnerships or agreements with for upcoming projects. A spokesperson for Annapurna Pictures told Bloomberg that all existing games and projects will remain under the Annapurna label. Sanchez also reportedly told the developer that the company planned to replace departing employees.
“Our first priority is to continue to support our developers and publishing partners during this transition,” Ellison said in a statement to Bloomberg. “We are not only committed to our existing games but also to expanding our presence in the interactive space.” influence.
Last month, Annapurna Pictures announced a partnership with Remedy, the developer of Alan Wake 2. Under the agreement, Annapurna Pictures will bear 50% of the development costs of Alan Wake 2 and gain access to the IP development of Alan Wake 2. Film and television rights. According to a tweet from Remedy communications director Thomas Puha, the deal does not appear to be affected by these developments at Annapurna Interactive.
