Pocketpair, the company behind last year’s viral game palworld, has a new venture: publishing independent games. Its first project, slated for release later this year, will be an as-yet-unnamed horror game from Surgent Studios, the developer behind 2024. Tales of Kenzera: Zau.
Paleworldjokingly referred to as “Pokemon with guns,” was a big hit last year, getting more than 25 million players into its first few months. The company’s step into publishing comes at a turbulent time for video games, especially smaller studios; last year, Between Us developer Innersloth has announced its own move on to publishing help push projects forward. A pocket pair of Paleworld success, it seems, allows it to do the same.
“As the games industry continues to grow, more and more games are struggling to get funding or a verdict,” said John Buckley, president of Pocketpair Publishing, in a press release announcing the new division. “We think this is a real shame because there are so many incredible creators and ideas out there that just need a little help to become incredible games.”
It’s no surprise, then, that Pocketpair would work with Surgent Studios, which has struggled to find funding after the release of wide. The developer put its team on hold last year as it sought a partner for its next Kenzera game, currently known as Project Use.
Surgent’s agreement with Pocketpair is separate from usefounder Abubakar Salim tells WIRED. Unlike the Afrofuturism of wideit will be a horror title meant to introduce players to something new. “We’re making a slight detour from the Tales of Kenzera universe,” Salim says.
Salim adds that the horror genre “is a fascinating space that taps into primal emotions, immersing audiences in a reality that is removed from their own, yet strikes something deep and dark in all of us.” Pocketpair and Surgent gave few details about the game in Thursday’s announcement, other than to describe it as “short and weird.”
“The world is so raw right now, and it feels natural to create an experience that reflects and feeds that intensity,” says Salim.
Pocketpair Publishing has not announced any other future projects. The company has been embroiled in legal drama since last year, when Nintendo filed a lawsuit in Tokyo claiming Paleworld violated its copyright. Nintendo did not respond to a request for comment. When asked if the lawsuit worried Surgent, Salim says the studio isn’t worried. “We’re really excited to work with their new publisher to bring this game to life,” he says.
