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Team17 owner Everplay increases shareholding in Wardogs dev Bulkhead, touts strong FY26 results
Everplay, the owner of Team17, has increased its shareholding in Wardogs developer Bulkhead following the game's success since its early access launch. Despite a reported decrease in revenue and profit for Everplay in the first half of FY26, the company anticipates strong full-year results, driven by the outperformance of Wardogs and Hell Let Loose: Vietnam. Everplay also noted significant growth in its subsidiary StoryToys.
Midnight Moments Joins Steam Next Fest with All New Demo
Happy Volcano announced that their cyberpunk diorama-building game, Midnight Moments, will be featured in Steam Next Fest from June 15-22, 2025, with a free demo available now. The game allows players to build and populate cozy, rain-soaked city corners without pressure or objectives. Creative Director David Prinsmel stated that Steam Next Fest is the ideal venue for players to experience the game's relaxing atmosphere.
"They wouldn't look at any game that was less than £50 million" Why Tencent's all-in strategy didn't suit Bulkhead
Bulkhead, a studio acquired by Tencent via Splash Damage, found the parent company's demand for games with budgets over £50 million unsuited to their development style. Despite initial success with Battalion 1944 and pitching the PC shooter Wardogs, Tencent's scale led to Bulkhead spinning out into a new holding company, Super Media Group, with Team17 and Hiro Capital. The studio is now focused on Wardogs, aiming for a sustainable player base rather than massive AAA success.
Why Hiro is bullish on UK and EU game dev funding after helping The Chinese Room and Bulkhead go independent
Hiro Capital, through its new advisory division, is bullish on the UK and EU game development funding landscape, seeing a rise in independent studios formed by experienced teams. The firm has already assisted The Chinese Room and Bulkhead Interactive in regaining independence from larger corporations. Factors like regulatory limitations on US investment for Asian companies and the availability of talent exiting larger firms contribute to Europe's attractiveness for game dev investment.
Secret Mode busted out of the Tencent-owned Sumo Group last year. Now what?
Secret Mode, an indie publisher owned by Sumo Group (which is in turn owned by Tencent), has successfully gained independence with the help of investment firm Emona Capital. This move came after Sumo Group announced a shift to exclusively focus on development services. Secret Mode's CEO Ed Blincoe and chief publishing officer James Schall detail the rapid acquisition process and the publisher's subsequent growth, including new hires and ambitious projects like Star Wars: Galactic Racer.
