Devolver Introduces Big Fan Games, a New Publishing Label Focused on Movie, TV, and Comic Book Adaptations

Devolver Digital has launched a new publishing label, Big Fan Games, dedicated to creating indie games based on popular movie, TV, and comic book franchises. The label is composed of the Good Shepherd team, which Devolver acquired in 2021, and has already published games like John Wick Hex and Hellboy Web of the Wyrd. Big Fan Games will be led by Lincoln Hershberger, a 27-year veteran of the video game industry, and Amanda Kruse, who has experience in TV and movie production, having worked on projects like Hunger Games and Twilight. Kruse is excited about the prospect of adapting beloved stories into games, saying, "I love adaptation... we are part of Devolver now, but we don't want to be Devolver 2. Nobody can be. They're so cool and original. How can we separate ourselves? So I was excited to pitch 'let's do adaptations.' Hershberger adds that the idea for Big Fan Games came from Devolver co-founder Nigel Lowrie's interest in fan-favorite IP like Monkey Island. With Kruse and Hershberger on board, the team is well-equipped to handle adaptations, having worked on projects like Dune, Blade Runner, and Star Wars. Big Fan Games will offer a range of services, including finance, PR, marketing, and community management, and will leverage its parent company's resources when necessary. Kruse describes the team as a "SWAT team" of specialists who can handle all aspects of game development and publishing. The label's goal is to become synonymous with high-quality adaptations, and Kruse believes that working with IP that doesn't have active TV shows or movies in development will allow for more flexibility and creativity. Big Fan Games is currently working on six projects, with the aim of releasing three to five games per year. The team is passionate about game adaptations, and Kruse notes that attitudes within the industry are changing. While licensed games were once seen as low-quality merchandise, games like Star Wars, Lego, and Spider-Man have shown that adaptations can be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. Big Fan Games is poised to capitalize on this trend, bringing new and exciting stories to life in the world of gaming.