Thatgamecompany, the creative force behind acclaimed titles such as Flow, Flower, Journey, and the recent hit Sky: Children of the Light, has announced the creation of a new publishing division named Thatgamepublisher. This move follows a growing pattern in the indie sector where studios that have achieved breakout success leverage their newfound resources to support other independent developers. Recent examples include Innersloth’s Outersloth, which was launched in 2024 to fund games like Clickolding and The Horror at Highrook, Kinetic Games’ Kinetic Publishing, which backs titles such as Precognition from Sam Barlow, Pocketpair’s Pocketpair Publishing, and Landfall Games’ Evil Landfall label.
The trend reflects a desire among small teams to reinvest profits into projects that share their artistic values. Jenova Chen, co‑founder of Thatgamecompany, explains the motivation behind the venture: “When an indie game that started on a shoestring budget becomes a massive hit, you suddenly have a surplus of cash.
You don’t want to blow that up by turning your studio into a large corporation; instead, you look for ways to invest in something you understand—other indie games. That’s why many indie studios are moving into publishing.” The financial landscape for Thatgamecompany has shifted dramatically since the release of Journey in 2012. At that time, Chen has recounted that the development of Journey nearly bankrupted the studio, resulting in widespread layoffs.
In contrast, Sky: Children of the Light, launched in 2019, has generated substantial revenue, especially in the Chinese market, and even inspired a feature‑film adaptation. The success of Sky now provides the studio with the capital to fund what it describes as “emotionally ambitious” games. Chen also notes a fundamental change in how games reach players. “Back when Journey came out, distribution channels were controlled by platforms like PlayStation.
Today, the distribution network belongs to the players themselves—social influencers, streamers, and community creators. A hit indie title can amass millions of players who become its most powerful marketing engine.” He adds that the studio’s audience is unusually balanced gender‑wise: roughly 70 % of Sky’s player base is female, giving Thatgamepublisher a unique demographic advantage for titles that aim to appeal to both men and women. Although the publisher has already signed a few projects, the specifics remain under wraps.
In a press release, Chen outlined the philosophical foundation of the new label: “When we first started making games, many doubted that interactive experiences could move people as deeply as film, literature, or music. Over the years, we’ve seen games forge lifelong friendships, help players work through personal struggles, reunite families, and restore hope. Those moments convinced us that games can touch lives in profound ways. Thatgamepublisher exists to help creators around the world explore new emotional frontiers and bring those visions to life.” SJ Xue, Thatgamecompany’s vice‑president of growth and corporate development and the lead of the publishing effort, told GamesIndustry.biz that the company is looking for games that “move people through play.” He emphasized that genre, platform, or team size are not decisive factors.
“We’re open to any project—whether it’s a prototype in early development or a near‑complete title—provided it strives for meaningful emotional resonance and can linger with players after the screen goes dark.” Xue clarified that “emotional” can encompass joy, chaos, humor, or melancholy; the key test is lasting impact. Unlike many indie publishers that limit themselves to funding smaller projects under $1 million, Thatgamepublisher is prepared to back larger, AA‑scale endeavors. Xue explained that the terms of each deal will be customized, reflecting the studio’s own experience as developers who value fair, transparent, and developer‑friendly partnerships.
“We want to give teams the support they need to realize the strongest version of their game,” he said. Thatgamepublisher will operate as a full‑service publisher, offering financing, production planning, platform strategy, marketing, community management, and long‑term IP development. This comprehensive approach distinguishes it from other indie publishers such as Outersloth or Evil Landfall, which often adopt a modular, funding‑only model. Luke Keighran of Silver Lining Interactive has observed that “the old school publishing model is dead; developers now pick the services they need, whether that’s marketing, console conversion assistance, or full‑scale support.” Xue echoed this sentiment, stating that Thatgamepublisher can tailor its involvement—whether modular or integrated—based on each developer’s requirements.
The ultimate promise of the new label is rooted in the belief that games can forge deep emotional connections. Xue summed up the company’s ethos: “Our own work—from Flow and Flower to Journey and Sky—has shown us that emotionally ambitious games often need a different playbook.
The heart of a project may only emerge through prototyping, iteration, and quiet discovery. Our role is to protect that process, offering room, guidance, and alignment so developers can uncover the strongest version of their vision.” Drawing on the experience of running Sky: Children of the Light as a live‑service title with over 300 million downloads and seven years of global operation, Thatgamepublisher claims it understands how to scale heartfelt experiences without diluting their core feeling. By focusing on the emotional truth of each game, building community‑driven momentum, and allowing genuine resonance to drive growth, the publisher aims to help each project reach a broader audience while staying true to its original emotional intent.
In short, Thatgamepublisher represents Thatgamecompany’s evolution from a single‑studio developer into a supportive hub for indie creators who share a passion for games that move players on a deep, personal level. The initiative promises flexible funding, comprehensive services, and a philosophy that places emotional impact at the forefront of game development.