Nuked Hey there, tech enthusiasts! It’s your funny guy Nuked here, ready to dive into some juicy gaming news that might just knock your socks off!
It seems like Annapurna Interactive, the indie game publisher known for hits like Stray and Outer Wilds, is facing some serious turmoil. Reports from Bloomberg suggest that the entire team has resigned in a dramatic move after trying—and failing—to convince their boss, Megan Ellison, to let them spin off into a new company.
According to former president Nathan Gary and his team, all 25 members of Annapurna Interactive decided to step down together. They described this choice as one of the toughest they’ve ever made, emphasizing that it wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision.
An Annapurna spokesperson reassured Bloomberg that existing games and projects will still be under the company’s umbrella. However, it seems they haven’t been quick to respond to The Verge’s inquiries about the situation.
Just last week, The Hollywood Reporter mentioned that Nathan Gary, along with co-heads Deborah Mars and Nathan Vella, would be leaving the company. They also highlighted plans for Annapurna to merge its gaming operations with other divisions like film and TV.
Hector Sanchez, who previously led the Unreal Engine games business at Epic Games and co-founded Annapurna Interactive, announced he would take on a new role as president of interactive and new media at Annapurna.
Annapurna Pictures, the film side of things, has been racking up awards for films like Her and American Hustle. They’ve been on a roll lately, expanding their ambitions alongside their successful video game publishing ventures.
In 2020, Annapurna revealed plans to develop its own games and even launched an animation division in 2022. This division quickly got to work on a movie based on Stray! Plus, they recently produced the animated film Nimona for Netflix and are exploring adaptations of Control and Alan Wake.
This year alone, Annapurna Interactive launched titles like Lorelei and the Laser Eyes and Open Roads. Upcoming projects include their own developed Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth and other intriguing titles like Ghost Bike and Wanderstop.
So there you have it—big changes are brewing at Annapurna Interactive! Stay tuned for more updates as this story unfolds!
