Annapurna Game Studio Shuts Down, Casting Fate of Unreleased Projects in Doubt

Annapurna Interactive's Entire Game Division Resigns, Casting Doubt on the Future

A major shakeup has hit Annapurna Interactive, the video game publishing arm of Annapurna Pictures. Following a disagreement with Megan Ellison, the entire staff has resigned en masse.

Mass Resignation Follows Failed Negotiations

The Fallout at Annapurna Interactive

The publisher behind acclaimed titles like Stray and What Remains of Edith Finch is facing a significant crisis. Over 20 employees, including the entire staff, have resigned after negotiations to establish Annapurna Interactive as an independent entity failed.

Details are limited, but reports suggest that former president Nathan Gary spearheaded the attempt to create an independent publishing company. However, these efforts were unsuccessful, leading to the mass resignation following Gary's departure a few days prior.

According to Bloomberg, Gary confirmed the collective resignation of all 25 team members, stating that the decision was "one of the hardest we have ever had to make."

Annapurna Pictures' Ellison has assured partners of their ongoing commitment to existing projects and the interactive entertainment sector. Ellison stated to Bloomberg News, "We continue to look for opportunities to take a more integrated approach to linear and interactive storytelling across film and TV, gaming, and theater."

The consequences of this mass exodus are far-reaching. Indie developers who collaborated with Annapurna now face uncertainty, struggling to establish new communication channels and confirm the continuation of their agreements, according to Bloomberg.

Remedy Entertainment, whose upcoming Control 2 received partial funding from Annapurna Interactive, addressed the situation via communications director Thomas Puha on Twitter (X). Puha clarified that Remedy's agreement for Control 2, including rights for Alan Wake and Control, is with Annapurna Pictures, and that Control 2 will be self-published.

In response, Annapurna Interactive appointed Hector Sanchez, a co-founder, as the new president. Anonymous sources cited by Bloomberg report that Sanchez has pledged to honor existing contracts and replace departed staff.

The resignations follow a restructuring of Annapurna's gaming operations announced over a week ago. Sanchez's appointment to lead the indie gaming division comes after the departures of former president Nathan Gary and the co-heads of the indie division, Deborah Mars and Nathan Vella.

For further details on Annapurna's reorganization, please refer to the linked article below.