Control 2 and more games safe for now after Annapurna Interactive implosion
The video game industry was rocked on Thursday with the news that Annapurna Interactive, the publisher behind successful indie and AA hits like Stray and The Outer Wilds, had lost its entire team.
Bloomberg first broke the news, reporting that all 25 members of the team resigned after negotiations concerning the video game division potentially going independent went south.
A spokesperson from the company told Bloomberg that “all existing games and projects will remain under Annapurna,” while new president Hector Sanchez reportedly confirmed that it would “honor existing contracts.”
“Our top priority is continuing to support our developer and publishing partners during this transition,” head of Annapurna Megan Ellison wrote in a statement to Bloomberg. “We’re committed to not only our existing slate of games but also expanding our presence in the interactive space.”
Annapurna recently announced a partnership with Alan Wake 2 and Control developers Remedy Entertainment to produce film and TV projects based on the company’s properties. That deal won’t be affected by the resignations since film and TV are handled at other parts of Annapurna. Although Annapurna is financing 50% of Control 2‘s development, Remedy communications director Thomas Puha wrote in the announcement that the studio retains full creative ownership and will be publishing the game itself.
Multiple developers who had existing deals with Annapurna provided updates on their situations. Team Ivy Road, a new studio from the maker of The Stanley Parable, said on X (formerly Twitter) that development is still ongoing on its debut title Wanderstop. “While this is a bump in the road we didn’t anticipate, we did want to make sure to let you all know: the tea is still brewing, and we’re still working hard on Wanderstop!”
Meanwhile Tom Hughes, lead narrative designer at Great Ape Games, wrote on X that the team is “safe for the moment” and moving forward with The Lost Wild. Hughes had previously noted that the
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