Firefly, best known for its work on the Stronghold series, has taken a significant step beyond pure development by creating a publishing arm dedicated to strategy games. The new label, called Wuselfaktory, was introduced at UKIE’s For One Night Only showcase earlier this year, where it also revealed its first third‑party release, Fool King. Fool King is the debut project from Loot Donkey, a studio that describes the game as a tactical autobattler with a roguelike twist: players assemble and position their forces, then watch an automated battle unfold.
Nick Tannahill, the head of Firefly, says the move into publishing mirrors what many indie studios are doing right now, but he believes Firefly’s deep roots in strategy give it a distinct advantage. "We’ve spent years building and supporting strategy titles, so we understand the genre’s nuances and the expectations of its community," he told GamesIndustry.biz. While other publishers such as Paradox Interactive and the newer Hooded Horse have already proven the commercial viability of strategy games on PC, Firefly is approaching the market with more modest ambitions, focusing on a smaller slate of titles rather than a high‑volume output. For Fool King, Firefly is providing financial backing and marketing support, while its parent company Devolver has assigned a producer to oversee localisation and quality assurance.
Tannahill noted that as the publishing operation matures, Firefly intends to bring those localisation and QA responsibilities in‑house, leveraging its existing team of about 50 staff members. "We already have a small publishing unit, which is why we can take this on," he explained. Firefly’s experience as a self‑publisher since 2010 means it already has established pipelines for localisation, marketing, and platform relationships.
More importantly, the studio has spent decades crafting strategy experiences, allowing it to offer development assistance as part of its publishing package. "Being on the other side of the table gives us insight into negotiations and partnerships, but we can also roll up our sleeves and help with actual game‑development tasks," Tannahill said.
The support Firefly is providing to Loot Donkey goes beyond financial matters. The publisher has been consulting on user‑interface design, offering multiple rounds of feedback on the core gameplay loop, and even assisting with the online component of Fool King, which functions as an asynchronous auto‑battler.
While such hands‑on involvement can divert resources from other internal projects, Tannahill believes the trade‑off is worthwhile. "A single hour‑long call can accelerate a partner’s development timeline dramatically, resulting in a smoother overall production," he noted. The decision to expand into publishing was encouraged by Devolver, which recognised its own limited expertise in the strategy niche. "After Devolver acquired us in late 2021, they basically said, ‘You know strategy inside‑out; we don’t.
Why don’t you lead that effort?’" Tannahill recalled. The studio’s constant monitoring of emerging strategy titles also positioned it well to spot promising indie projects. In fact, Tannahill discovered Fool King after reading a feature on Rock Paper Shotgun, illustrating how closely he follows the genre’s grassroots scene.
Playing smaller, experimental titles is a habit Tannahill maintains to keep his creative muscles flexed. "I dive into tiny Steam or itch.io releases to refresh my brain and harvest fresh ideas for the next Stronghold," he said. When he encounters a game that resonates with him, he considers whether the developer could benefit from funding, mentorship, or partnership opportunities.
Devolver has given Firefly considerable autonomy over both sourcing and marketing, trusting the studio’s deeper connections within the strategy community. "Devolver admits they aren’t fluent in the strategy space, so they rely on us to know the right press contacts, content creators, and community hubs for each sub‑genre," Tannahill explained.
That familiarity is crucial because strategy fans expect publishers to speak their language. To stay close to its audience, Firefly employs a straightforward yet effective feedback loop: surveys embedded in every demo. Players are asked how much they would be willing to pay, which features they’d like, and what future games they’d enjoy.
The studio has collected roughly 6,000 responses per title, providing a robust data set that informs both design and marketing decisions. The insights have revealed a surprisingly youthful demographic; a large segment of respondents falls between 18 and 25 years old. Consequently, Firefly tailors its outreach to the platforms and social channels where younger gamers congregate, hoping to funnel them into the studio’s broader IP ecosystem.
Tannahill believes the strategy genre remains both massive and under‑served. "If you look at the top‑hundred wish‑listed games on Steam, many are strategy titles," he observed.
Yet classic franchises like Command and Conquer have faded from the mainstream, not because the intellectual property lacks appeal, but because few new entries have been produced. He sees this gap as an opening for studios willing to invest in high‑quality, systems‑driven experiences. Despite the genre’s lack of flash compared to trends like Roblox, strategy continues to be one of Steam’s most profitable categories. "It’s not sexy anymore, but it quietly dominates the platform," Tannahill said.
Deep, replayable systems that reward long sessions and emergent gameplay align perfectly with the habits of PC‑centric players who enjoy dissecting scenarios from multiple angles. This environment has attracted newcomers such as Hooded Horse, which recently discovered the size of the audience for premium strategy games. Firefly’s own development slate reflects a diversified approach within the strategy space.
The studio produces 2.5‑D isometric titles reminiscent of early Command and Conquer or Age of Empires, as well as fully 3D projects like Stronghold 4. While the retro‑styled isometric aesthetic is currently fashionable, the team remains cautious about over‑committing to any single trend. "You want to diversify your basket without loading it with too many eggs of the same type," Tannahill analogised.
Wuselfaktory currently represents a single third‑party egg—Fool King—but the label aims to add a few more over time. Since joining Devolver, Firefly has released four games and six expansions, with additional titles in development.
However, the studio acknowledges the limits of its small team. "We won’t launch a publishing label and immediately have three big titles ready; we can only spin so many plates at once," Tannahill cautioned. The initial focus will be on smaller projects that fit comfortably within the studio’s capacity, ensuring sustainable growth without overextending resources.
In summary, Firefly’s foray into publishing under the Wuselfaktory banner represents a strategic extension of its long‑standing expertise in the strategy genre. By combining financial support, marketing know‑how, and hands‑on development guidance, the studio aims to nurture promising indie titles while continuing to produce its own acclaimed games. With a clear understanding of its audience, a data‑driven feedback loop, and a modest but focused publishing agenda, Firefly is positioning itself to capitalize on the enduring popularity of strategy games on Steam, even as the broader gaming landscape evolves.