Image via Twin Sails
Gloomhaven Digital and Ember Knights publisher Twin Sails Interactive has uncoupled from Embracer Group through a management buyout.
The company shared the news in a blog post and said it now has "full autonomy and more flexibility" to pursue its vision for growth.
Twin Sails had been operating under the umbrella of tabletop game publisher Asmodee Group AB, which is owned by Embracer Group.
Last year, Embracer transformed Asmodee into a standalone publicly listed company to search for "winning formulas" after implementing a brutal restructuring program.
Twin Sails will retain its entire team post-buyout and continue to be led by CEO Nicolas Godement, production director Laurent Lichnewsky, and marketing director Adrien Rotondo.
"This is an exciting new chapter for Twin Sails Interactive," said Godement. "Our time within Asmodee provided us with invaluable experience, and we are grateful for the collaboration that helped shape our journey. Now, as an independent publisher, we move forward with confidence, ready to pursue our bold and energized vision for the future."
Asmodee CEO Thomas Koegler said the move will enable both companies to "thrive in their respective areas of expertise."
"We look forward to Twin Sails Interactive continuing to meet success and innovate, bringing fresh, engaging experiences to players worldwide—and wish them a journey filled with success, creativity, and new opportunities," he added.
Looking ahead, Twin Sails hopes to usher in a "new era" after essentially serving as Asmodee's video game division for the best part of a decade.
"We will continue to champion creative titles with strong visual identities and passionate teams behind them," said marketing director Adrien Rotondo. "Our goal is to work with our partner studios to create long-lasting game brands that grow through updates, new content, and new titles in the series."
Speaking to Game Developer via e-mail, Godement made repeated reference to the Total War series as an example of how indies can build long-term franchise potential without relying strictly on character-driven intellectual property. "Total War has no central story or recurring cast, but the player fantasy 'epic historical battles' is crystal clear," he said.
The plan, he said, is that signed games will have lifespans that go at least five to ten years. The publisher has been releasing updates for Ember Knights and Terraforming Mars for several years now through "live operations" with content updates, downloadable content, and new features. Some games may be signed with the expectation of sequels instead of live updates. He said the company has "had situations" where it started talking about a second project before the first game was even signed.
"Beyond pre-production, that long-term culture needs to permeate every level of our organization, such as embracing community lore to make it 'marketing canon' or defining cross-promotion strategies within a brand. It’s about treating the game like a valuable brand from day one, not something you launch and leave behind," he said.
The company's publishing slate currently includes Boomtown: A Different Story, News Tower, and Ember Knights.
Twin Sails is actively seeking new projects and partnerships.
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