Thatgamecompany, the creative force behind acclaimed titles such as Flow, Flower, Journey, and the recent hit Sky: Children of the Light, has announced the formation of a new publishing division called Thatgamepublisher. This move mirrors a growing pattern in the independent game sector, where studios that have scored a breakout success leverage their newfound resources to support other indie developers. Recent examples include Innersloth, the creators of Among Us, which launched Outersloth in 2024 to back games like Clickolding and The Horror at Highrook; Kinetic Games, known for Phasmophobia, which started Kinetic Publishing and is already handling titles such as Precognition from Sam Barlow; Pocketpair, the team behind Palworld, which now runs Pocketpair Publishing; and Landfall Games, the studio behind Peak, which introduced the Evil Landfall label.
The trend reflects a desire among small teams to reinvest earnings into projects that share their artistic sensibilities. Jenova Chen, co‑founder of Thatgamecompany, explains the logic behind the shift: "Successful indie games are often built on shoestring budgets. When a title suddenly generates a surplus of cash, the studio faces a choice—grow into a large corporation or find a meaningful way to allocate the extra capital. Most indie teams prefer to stay lean and to invest in areas they understand best, which naturally leads to supporting other indie creators." Thatgamecompany’s own history underscores the significance of this decision.
When Journey launched in 2012, the studio teetered on the brink of financial ruin, with Chen recalling that the project almost bankrupted the company and forced a wave of layoffs. The situation is dramatically different today.
Sky: Children of the Light, released in 2019, has become a global phenomenon, especially in the Chinese market, and has even inspired a feature film. The revenue stream from Sky now gives Thatgamecompany the financial stability to fund what it calls "emotionally ambitious" games.
Chen also notes a shift in how games reach audiences. In the early 2010s, distribution was largely controlled by platform holders like Sony. "Now," he says, "the distribution network belongs to the players themselves—social influencers, streamers, and community creators. A successful indie title can amass millions of fans who become its most effective marketing engine." Another unique asset for Thatgamecompany is its demographic reach.
Roughly 70 % of Sky’s player base is female, giving the studio a broader gender balance than many of its peers. "If we highlight a game that appeals to both men and women, we tap into an audience that includes many people who have never played games before," Chen adds. While the publisher’s catalog is still under wraps, Chen has outlined its guiding philosophy in a press release: "When we first started making games, many doubted whether interactive experiences could move people as deeply as film, literature, or music. Over the years, we have seen games forge lifelong friendships, help players work through personal challenges, reconnect families, and restore hope.
Those moments convinced us that games can touch lives in profound ways. Thatgamepublisher exists because we believe countless creators worldwide are exploring new emotional frontiers, and we want to help them bring those visions to life." SJ Xue, head of corporate development at Thatgamecompany and the leader of the publishing effort, emphasizes that the label is looking for projects that "move people through play," regardless of genre, platform, or development stage.
"We are open to any team size, from solo developers with bold ideas to larger studios capable of AA‑level production. What matters is whether the game reaches for meaningful emotional territory and uses interactivity to guide players there," Xue explains. The publisher defines "emotional" broadly—it can be joyful, chaotic, humorous, or contemplative. The key question, according to Xue, is whether the experience lingers after the console is turned off.
If a game strives for that lingering impact, the team wants to start a conversation. Unlike many indie publishers that focus solely on funding, Thatgamepublisher intends to operate as a full‑service partner.
It will provide financing, production planning, platform strategy, marketing, community management, and long‑term IP development. This comprehensive approach differentiates it from models like Outersloth or Evil Landfall, which often offer modular, funding‑only packages. Luke Keighran of Silver Lining Interactive has observed that the traditional publishing model is dying, replaced by flexible arrangements where developers pick the services they need—whether that’s marketing, console porting, or full‑scale production support. Xue confirms that Thatgamepublisher can tailor its deals to each project's requirements, offering modular options for funding, marketing, or other specific needs.
Yet he also stresses that many emotionally driven games benefit from an integrated partnership, where creative development, production, positioning, marketing, community, and platform strategy are tightly interwoven. "Being involved across those areas lets us protect the emotional core of the game and help the team carry that vision all the way to players," he says. When asked why developers should consider signing with Thatgamepublisher, Xue points to the studio’s founding belief: games have the power to connect people through shared emotional experiences and bring out the best in humanity.
He notes that this philosophy has shaped every title Thatgamecompany has released, from Flow and Flower to Journey and Sky. The publisher aims to extend that ethos beyond its own studio, supporting creators worldwide who are pushing the boundaries of what games can make us feel.
Xue adds that emotionally ambitious projects often require a different playbook. The heart of such a game may not be evident at the outset; it can emerge through prototypes, iteration, quiet discoveries, and collaborative dialogue. "Our role is to protect that process, giving developers the space, guidance, and alignment they need to uncover the strongest version of their work," he says. Drawing on more than 300 million downloads of Sky and seven years of operating a live‑service emotional experience, Thatgamepublisher believes it understands how to scale heartfelt experiences without diluting their impact.
By grounding each partnership in the emotional truth of the game, building from its community, and allowing genuine resonance to drive growth, the publisher hopes to help every project reach a wider audience while staying true to its core feeling. In summary, Thatgamepublisher represents Thatgamecompany’s evolution from a small indie studio to a full‑service publisher dedicated to nurturing games that aim to move players on a deep, emotional level.
With flexible funding models, a commitment to developer‑friendly terms, and a track record of creating experiences that resonate worldwide, the new label is poised to become a significant player in the indie publishing landscape.