Ghost Ship Sets Sail for Publishing

The decision to launch a publishing label was a gradual yet inevitable step for Ghost Ship Games, driven by their success with co-op shooter Deep Rock Galactic and their experience with Steam Early Access and games-as-a-service. As Ghost Ship CEO Søren Lundgaard explains, the company has been investing in developers and playing a supporting role in the Danish industry, leading to questions about whether they should start publishing other studios' games. The company's existing publisher, Coffee Stain, which is owned by the same company, Embracer Group, was initially considered for publishing Funday Games' Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor. However, Ghost Ship ultimately decided to take on the role themselves, announcing three titles so far, including DarkSwarm and SpellRogue. The label's first three titles are all from Danish developers, but the company is open to working with studios from around the world. Ghost Ship is focusing on smaller indie titles, with developers such as Guidelight Games and Bitfire Games, which have two people each, and Funday Games, which has around 50 people. The company is looking for projects that fit their criteria, with budgets ranging from €500,000 to €3 million. Their debut title, Deep Rock Galactic, has been a significant factor in their ability to invest in their publishing label, with 5.5 million units sold as of the end of 2022. The game's sales acceleration is attributed to a combination of factors, including the addition of retention mechanics, discounts, and its inclusion in subscription services such as Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus. Ghost Ship has had a positive experience with these services, which have helped increase the game's visibility and attract new players. The Danish games scene is a growing industry, with many studios experiencing success and moving forward. However, the main challenge is finding and recruiting experienced talent. Ghost Ship is working to address this issue, along with other Danish game studios, by banding together and seeking better organization and political support. The company's goal for its publishing arm is to replicate the successful collaboration they had with Coffee Stain, providing a service to developers and allowing them to create their passion projects without interference. Success is not measured by financial goals but by the ability to help developers bring their projects to life and earn enough money to continue creating.