Secret Mode is currently riding a wave of optimism. After disentangling itself from Sumo Digital and its parent company Tencent last year, the freshly independent UK publisher has been operating at full throttle. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz conducted at Gamescom, Chief Publishing Officer James Schall highlighted the "phenomenal growth" the company has experienced over the past year and a half.
He explained that the team originally drafted a multi‑year business plan extending to 2030, only to smash those targets within roughly four months of implementation. Schall emphasized that the split from Sumo was relatively painless, thanks in large part to financing from Emona Capital and a cooperative attitude from Tencent. "I was stunned by how quickly the transaction was finalized and how positive the whole process felt for everyone involved," he remarked. Tencent, which acquired Sumo in early 2022, was in the midst of rationalising its sprawling portfolio of game studios.
As Schall noted, the Chinese conglomerate realised it did not need a dozen different publishers under its umbrella, a sentiment echoed by Tencent executive Yong‑yi Zhu in a separate GamesIndustry.biz piece. With the corporate backdrop clarified, the focus turns to Secret Mode’s own roadmap. Both Schall and CEO Ed Blincoe describe a dual‑pillar approach: on one side, the company will back "pure indie" projects that thrive on creativity and modest budgets; on the other, it will invest in higher‑budget, IP‑heavy games such as the upcoming Star Wars: Galactic Racer.
The rationale is simple—by committing resources to quality titles across the spectrum, Secret Mode hopes to cut through an increasingly noisy market. In today’s environment, discoverability is a monumental challenge. Schall observes that it is "almost impossible to sell a mediocre game," and even a "very, very good game" can struggle to find an audience.
"There is no easy answer anymore, there’s no kind of playbook. You just have to try and make yourself lucky by making the right decisions," he explained. One of those decisions involves placing substantial bets on titles that have already demonstrated traction but still possess untapped potential. Star Wars: Galactic Racer, slated for release on October 6, exemplifies this strategy.
Schall described the game's wishlist numbers as "phenomenal," while Blincoe recalled first playing the prototype more than a year ago and being impressed by its evolution. Developed by the newly formed UK studio Fuse Games, the title was signed by Secret Mode at the end of September 2023 after convincing Emona Capital of its commercial viability. "We walked in with an opportunity and asked for help figuring out funding," Schall said, noting that Emona assisted in structuring the investment.
Secret Mode’s high‑budget portfolio is not limited to blockbuster IPs. The publisher has also taken on publishing duties for Fancy Games' "Escape the Backrooms" and Anegar Games' "Chained Together," both of which originated in Early Access and have cultivated dedicated communities. Schall argues that co‑op and socially oriented games appeal to a generation that grew up during the pandemic, a cohort accustomed to streaming on Twitch and playing with friends online.
"You can either hope a game goes viral for a few weeks, or you can iterate, add content, and keep players engaged over the long term," he said. Beyond publishing, Secret Mode is increasingly involved in development through trusted external partners. Blackbird Interactive, an established external studio, has been working on "Escape the Backrooms" for some time. Additionally, Secret Mode launched an internal development studio in Sheffield to generate new content for its portfolio.
Blincoe highlighted that both "Escape the Backrooms" and "Chained Together" sell a respectable number of units each month, generating enough revenue to fund ongoing development and community updates. This model—sometimes described as "caretaker development"—mirrors a broader industry trend where third parties assume stewardship of existing titles when original developers move on.
French studio Evil Empire, for example, now handles post‑launch content for the popular indie hit "Brotato," and is actively seeking similar opportunities. Schall sees a wealth of possibilities with developers who have already achieved success but feel constrained by creative fatigue, demanding communities, or financial comfort. Secret Mode positions itself as a partner that can "reset" these creators, allowing them to rediscover their passion while handling the publishing logistics.
He cited the case of "Wobbledogs," created by Tom Astle, which had stalled in Early Access. Secret Mode stepped in, released the game, and gave Astle the freedom to pursue new projects.
The emphasis is shifting from a one‑shot launch to a long‑tail approach. Schall, a former Sega executive with 13 years at the company, observed that many games do not peak on day one but instead grow gradually as word spreads.
He noted that algorithms often hide promising titles, and luck—such as an influencer’s endorsement—can be decisive. "Discoverability is one of the biggest challenges we face," he admitted, adding that the constant pressure of algorithmic recommendation engines keeps him awake at night. Traditional publishing playbooks—press previews, massive launch marketing, then moving on—are losing relevance. Today, a teenager can upload a game to Roblox or itch.io and amass a massive audience without any publisher involvement.
Schall pointed out that many of these creators are unaware of what a publisher does, yet they are reshaping the industry. Secret Mode therefore aims to keep an eye on these disruptive, low‑budget successes, especially as visual fidelity reaches a plateau. After years of chasing photorealism, players are increasingly valuing fun and distinctive artistic identity over sheer graphical horsepower. "We can learn a lot by putting fun first," Schall concluded, noting that while visually spectacular titles like Star Wars: Galactic Racer will remain important, there is room for "vector‑graphics, 2D, mad games" that simply deliver enjoyment.
In summary, Secret Mode is building its future on two very different pillars: high‑budget, IP‑driven projects developed by sizable teams, and modest indie experiments such as "Everything is Crab." The balance between these pillars will likely evolve as the company measures the performance of its current slate. Schall remains open to larger opportunities, stating, "We’ll run the numbers and see if it works; we’re not turning things down because of size." However, Blincoe cautions that the firm must first prove itself a "stable ship" before over‑committing.
"We’ll watch how our signed games perform, make more announcements over the coming months, see how Star Wars does, and then decide our next steps," he said.