Game Publishing
Ongoing coverage on Game Publishing.
Latest coverage
Marathon sells 1.2 million copies across Steam, PS5, and Xbox | News-in-brief
The Nordic Game conference, taking place May 26-29, has announced its speaker lineup, featuring developers from Wishfully, Those Eyes, and Windup Games discussing game design and development. The event will also introduce an inaugural AI Track, with talks from companies like Infinity Fiction and Nunu AI focusing on the role of artificial intelligence in game development, storytelling, and QA. The conference expects over 3,000 attendees in 2026 and will showcase over 100 indie games.
Metacritic Names Top Game Publishers of 2025 With Square Enix Leading
Metacritic has released its annual ranking of top game publishers for 2025, based on the critical reception of their released titles. Square Enix secured the number one spot, driven by strong performances from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and other titles. Capcom and Gamirror Games followed in second and third place, respectively, with Microsoft rounding out the top five.
Newly revealed Nordic Game speaker line-up to include Planet of Lana devs
The Nordic Game conference, taking place May 26-29, has announced its speaker lineup, featuring developers from Wishfully (Planet of Lana), Raw Fury, and Those Eyes. The event will also introduce an inaugural AI Track curated by ImmerSynth Inc., with talks focusing on AI's role in game development, publishing, and design. Over 3,000 attendees are expected, with over 100 indie games showcased.
For the first time ever, Square Enix is crowned top publisher on Metacritic thanks to its 2025 run of remakes like Final…
Square Enix has been named the top publisher of 2025 by Metacritic, marking the first time the company has achieved this ranking. The publisher's strong performance was driven by a lineup of remakes and ports, including Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Final Fantasy 16, which contributed to an average Metascore of 84.
Square Enix is the best video game publisher of 2025 according to Metacritic
Metacritic has ranked Square Enix as the best video game publisher of 2025, based on critic scores for its nine released titles. Despite a lineup consisting primarily of ports and remakes, Square Enix achieved the top spot with consistent 'good' reviews across its releases. Other notable publishers on the list include Gamirror Games, Capcom, Microsoft, and Nintendo.
Exertis Ztorm joins forces with enCaps to offer publishers a single solution to manage their entire games distribution ecosystem
Exertis Ztorm and enCaps have partnered to provide publishers with a unified solution for managing their entire game distribution ecosystem. This integration allows publishers to handle both direct and indirect reseller channels through enCaps' Point Nexus platform and Exertis Ztorm's managed services, offering enhanced security, transparency, and efficiency in the expanding digital games market.
Palworld devs are "still bad at spending money and we're still bad at saving money" according to Pocketpair publishing head, as the studio "can take risks others can't"
Pocketpair's head of publishing, John Buckley, stated that the studio is "still bad at spending money, and we're still bad at saving money," a situation he attributes to the success of Palworld. This financial approach allows Pocketpair to take risks that other companies cannot, while they continue to work on Palworld 1.0 and publish other titles.
Valkyrie Destruction Launches on Steam with Bold Review Request
Valkyrie Destruction has launched on Steam, with publisher Shiravune and Co-FUN Games directly requesting positive reviews from players who enjoy the game. This bold approach is part of a larger strategy, as the publisher also revealed over 15 upcoming titles, showcasing a significant pipeline for indie games. The article discusses the potential impact of such direct requests on the Steam review system and the broader indie gaming landscape.
MindsEye Becomes Self-published as IOI Partners Ends Collaboration - IGN
IOI Partners has ceased publishing duties for the game MindsEye, transferring all rights back to developer Build A Rocket Boy. The game, developed by Leslie Benzies' studio, has struggled since its 2025 launch, facing criticism for performance issues and low player counts. The developer has also dealt with accusations of corporate sabotage and multiple rounds of layoffs.
Hitman Crossover Mission Canceled For One Of 2025's Biggest Gaming Flops
IO Interactive has canceled the planned Hitman crossover mission in the game MindsEye, ending its publishing deal with developer Build A Rocket Boy due to numerous controversies and the game's poor reception. Build A Rocket Boy will now self-publish MindsEye, with IO Interactive focusing on its own internal projects. The decision follows reports of layoffs and controversy surrounding Build A Rocket Boy's founder, Leslie Benzies.
Razer Esports Product Deals March 15-21 - Now's The Time to Buy Quality
Razer is offering deals on esports products from March 15-21. Meanwhile, at the Game Developers Conference, ID@Xbox highlighted its commitment to indie developers, with Xbox's Jason Ronald sharing initial details about Project Helix and showcasing games.
Phasmophobia Studio Wants Its New Publishing Label To Explore More Than Scares
Phasmophobia developer Kinetic Games has launched a new publishing label, Kinetic Publishing, to support other game studios. CEO Daniel Knight and Director of Marketing Asim Tanvir revealed the label will offer funding, marketing, and development support across all genres, not just horror. Kinetic Publishing aims to sign a maximum of five titles per year, while Kinetic Games continues development on Phasmophobia's 1.0 release and a Nintendo Switch port.
Stardock Entertainment Announces Expansion of Publishing Services for Independent Developers
Stardock Entertainment announced a significant expansion of its publishing services aimed at independent game developers. The company, with over 30 years of experience, will leverage its expertise in marketing, testing, and customer support to help promising new titles succeed in a crowded market. Stardock plans to sign only three titles per year, focusing on strategy, RPG, or simulation genres, to ensure dedicated attention and resources for each partner.
PS5 Fans Upset as Promising Adventure Game Might Be Canceled
The upcoming action-adventure game Gang of Dragon, developed by Nagoshi Studio under NetEase, is reportedly facing cancellation due to a lack of additional funding. Parent company NetEase plans to cease financing the studio in May 2026, requiring the studio to secure $44.4 million to complete the game and find a new publisher. This news has disappointed PlayStation 5 players who were anticipating the title.
Dev says Nintendo is “still pretty cagey about letting games launch on Switch 2”, doesn’t want it to be “a giant slop fest”
Dave Oshry of New Blood Interactive stated that Nintendo is being selective about which games will launch on the Nintendo Switch 2, aiming to avoid the 'slop fest' of shovelware seen on the original Switch eShop. The company has development kits for the new console and a version of Dusk ready, but is awaiting Nintendo's approval for release.
Virtual Reality Check
A new publisher has launched with the goal of supporting virtual reality game developers and helping them innovate. The publisher aims to assist developers in surviving until VR experiences a significant breakout moment in the market.
Pitchify launches new service to connect developers and publishers
Pitchify has launched Pitch Direct, a new service designed to connect game developers with suitable publishers by making submission requirements transparent. The platform aims to address imbalances in the pitching process, ensuring developers of all sizes receive fair consideration and increasing visibility for their projects. Several publishers, including Curve Games and Team17, are already participating in the service.
Sony Reportedly Scrapping Single-Player PC Ports
Sony is reportedly planning to stop releasing its single-player PlayStation 5 titles on PC via Steam. This unconfirmed report cites sources familiar with the company's strategy, suggesting a shift away from PC ports for its narrative-driven games.
How publishers can do better by devs (and still profit)
Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender suggests that some publishers do not adequately support their developer partners, leading to developers considering self-publishing. The Game Developer podcast discusses strategies for a more sustainable game industry, with hosts Bryant Francis and editors Pierre Landriau and Mike Meehan.
Amazon Ditches Ex-Forza Horizon Devs' AAA Open-World Racer
Amazon Games has reportedly dropped its publishing agreement with Maverick Games, a studio founded by ex-Sega executive Harinder Sangha and led by former Forza Horizon director Mike Brown. The company cited a strategic evolution to focus on projects leveraging Amazon's unique strengths. Despite this, Amazon will continue to publish upcoming Tomb Raider titles.
