Why Neonhive is taking the leap into publishing
PR and marketing agency Neonhive is branching out into publishing, with Harvest Hunt (from Villainous Games Studio) and Slopecrashers (Byteparrot) as its debut titles.
The Scotland-based agency has been going from strength to strength since its creation, and publishing felt like a logical progression for the company, director and founder Korina Abbott tells GamesIndustry.biz.
"This is something that's been bubbling away for years," she says. "During lockdown, we saw a large number of developers wanting to self-publish, and requesting revenue share deals instead of the standard monthly fee payment. At the time, this setup wasn't possible for us as an agency, but it lit the initial spark for us to think about publishing. So this is a natural next step for the company; launching as a publisher that can offer exactly this is something we're so excited about."
Neonhive is in an ideal position to take that leap as an established agency that already has strong connections in the industry, and has experience supporting indie studios self-publishing, Abbott continues. It's also a way for the company to grow while remaining sustainable, a particularly important aspect considering the current challenges of the industry.
"On the practical side, I wanted to find a way to grow as a company that wasn't tied to people-per-hour. The agency model is great but there are few ways to scale up without adding headcount and within the current climate, it's not sustainable or wise. By becoming a publisher, we have been able to unlock funding, opportunities, and support that we otherwise would not be able to access as a service company. It also allows us to make the most of the current team's skills and structure without the need to expand exponentially – just a few strategic hires.
"We're already seeing the second wave effects of the industry contracting – marketing budget shrinking, service providers are laying off contractors, and some have sadly shuttered. As we look [ahead], we will
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