Seasoned Industry Experts Introduce The CoLab, a New Independent Publishing Venture

The UK has welcomed a new independent games publisher, The CoLab, which launched today. Founded by industry veterans Darren Newnham, formerly CEO of United Label, Mark Faulkner, ex-director of product at Jagex, and John Lewis, previously senior art director at Codemasters, this publisher is dedicated to providing a collaborative platform for indie game developers. At its inception, The CoLab has announced a lineup of three titles, including Campfire, a narrative-driven sandbox game by Team Emprenintes, DeadWire, a top-down cyberpunk shooter from Shotgun Anaconda, and Counter Clash, a strategy game developed by Bjenssen. The publisher has a slate of additional titles scheduled for release later this year and in 2026. Furthermore, it plans to host developer-led sessions, with the first one planned for late 2025. In line with its commitment to ethics, teamwork, and transparency, The CoLab has partnered with the games industry mental health charity, Safe in Our World. According to CEO Darren Newnham, "The CoLab advocates for a collaborative approach in an industry that urgently needs it. Recent trends, such as large-scale layoffs driven by profit-oriented decisions, highlight the necessity for a fundamental change in the way the industry operates." Newnham emphasized, "Often, publishers prioritize shareholder interests over the needs of gamers, resulting in a cycle of releasing incomplete games at inflated prices. Meanwhile, developers face numerous challenges, including project cancellations, unpaid work, and even loss of intellectual property." Newnham further stated, "Our objective is to make each developer who joins The CoLab an essential part of our collective, fostering an environment that encourages long-term partnerships and rewarding outcomes."