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Indie publisher Merge Games has revealed a new $4 million “Warchest” to fun indie games as part of its tenth anniversary celebrations. The fund is “part of a global push for quality content” and the company is “actively seeking new talent to work with”.
Merge Games – an independent video game publisher and distributor based in Manchester, UK – both publishes and distributes interactive software worldwide. The company also “specialises in publishing collectors editions of games for retail via its Signature Edition brand”, as well as worldwide digital distribution for independent developers. Right now, it’s set to publish dungeon crawler Sparklite, as well as exploration game Stranded Sails. City manager sim Buildings Have Feelings Too is also slated to release in 2019.
“It has always been fresh ideas that have made the business thrive and that’s why we are investing in new talent around the world with this new fund,” said Merge CEO, Luke Keighran. “We have consistently championed games that look and feel different but deliver on innovation, quality and fun, it’s part of the passion that drives us. But it’s a difficult time for Indies and we want to be a destination for those developers that need funding plus all the support that a world class publisher can provide.”
Merge will be at both Gamescom and PAX West in Seattle as it actively seeks “high quality, multi-platform, games that deliver new experiences to the market”.
“When I started Merge Games, the business’ focus was primarily on distribution,” Keighran told MCV in 2017. “I had built up a large network of contacts in territories across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia. I used this network to introduce boxed product into the markets; collector’s editions such as Limbo and Terraria were particularly successful. Following that, Merge moved into publishing, initially into the digital PC marketplace and then onto console. We’ve started console retail in 2016 with Aragami on PS4, and in 2017 we added full US distribution. So in just a few short years, we’ve grown into a major indie publisher that offers digital and retail solutions globally.
“I see Merge Games here for the long term. We’re aiming to maintain the growth of the business, focusing on working with great developers and interacting closely with consumers. By understanding what the market demands, we can deliver better services, products and results.”
