Secret Mode is currently in a celebratory mood. After parting ways with Sumo Digital—and its parent company Tencent—last year, the freshly independent UK publisher has been firing on all cylinders.

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz at Gamescom, Chief Publishing Officer James Schall highlighted what he called "phenomenal growth" over the past 18 months. He explained that the company had drafted a strategic roadmap extending to 2030, only to smash those targets within roughly four months.

Schall noted that the split from Sumo was relatively straightforward, thanks in large part to backing from Emona Capital, and that Tencent proved "very helpful" throughout the process. "I was stunned by how quickly the deal was finalized, and how positive the experience was for everyone involved," he said. From Tencent's perspective, the separation made sense as well. After acquiring Sumo in early 2022, the Chinese conglomerate began evaluating its sprawling portfolio, questioning the need for "18 different publishers" under one roof.

This aligns with comments from Tencent executive Yong‑yi Zhu, who recently told GamesIndustry.biz that the firm is pruning its holdings to fit a longer‑term strategic vision. So, what is Secret Mode's own game plan?

According to Schall and CEO Ed Blincoe, the publisher is building around two distinct pillars: pure indie titles and higher‑budget, IP‑driven projects such as Star Wars: Galactic Racer. The belief is that investing in quality across both spectrums will give the company a competitive edge.

Schall emphasized that discoverability is becoming increasingly difficult. "In today's market, selling a mediocre game is almost impossible, and even a very good one can struggle," he observed.

"There is no longer a simple playbook; you have to make the right choices and hope luck is on your side." One of those choices has been to back games that already show promise but still have room to grow. Secret Mode has placed a sizable wager on Star Wars: Galactic Racer, slated for release on October 6, noting that pre‑order wishlists are "phenomenal." Blincoe added that the game made a strong impression when the team first played it more than a year ago and has only improved since.

Developed by the new UK studio Fuse Games, the title was signed at the end of September last year after Schall convinced Emona Capital of its potential. "We walked in and said we had this opportunity and needed to figure out funding; they helped us map that out," Schall explained. The publisher's other big‑budget bets differ in nature. Secret Mode has taken on publishing duties for Fancy Games' Escape the Backrooms—a title that launched in Early Access in 2022—and for Anegar Games' 2024 release Chained Together.

Both are co‑op experiences that appeal to a generation raised during the pandemic, accustomed to hanging out on Twitch and other live‑stream platforms. "These games cater to players who grew up online," Schall said. "You can either hope they go viral for a few weeks, or you can iterate, add content, and keep the community engaged over the long term." Beyond publishing, Secret Mode is also stepping into development through trusted partners.

External studio Blackbird Interactive has been working on Escape the Backrooms for some time, while the company has opened its own internal development studio in Sheffield to produce additional content for its portfolio. Blincoe noted that both titles are selling a healthy number of units each month, essentially funding their own development cycles.

"New players are joining, existing fans want more updates, so we aim to deliver that continual stream of content," he said. This approach reflects a broader industry trend sometimes called "caretaker development," where a third party assumes responsibility for an existing title when the original creators move on, ensuring the game remains alive. French studio Evil Empire recently adopted this model for the popular indie hit Brotato and is actively scouting other titles to support.

Schall sees many opportunities with developers who have achieved success but feel trapped—whether by creative fatigue, demanding communities, or financial comfort that encourages them to explore new projects. "We help them reset, rediscover their passion, and handle the publishing side, which isn’t easy but we have the expertise and network to do it well," he explained.

Secret Mode has precedent for this kind of rescue. Schall cited Wobbledogs, a project by Tom Astle that was stuck in Early Access with only a small team. Secret Mode stepped in, released the game, and gave Astle the freedom to pursue entirely new ideas. The modern landscape favors a "long tail" strategy over a single, explosive launch.

Schall, who spent 13 years at Sega, recalls numerous games that never peaked on day one but gradually built audiences over months or years. "Many titles launch with modest sales and become highly profitable six months later," he said.

Finding that audience, however, can still be a matter of luck—perhaps an influencer discovers the game or an algorithm finally surfaces it. "Discoverability is one of the biggest challenges we face," Schall admitted. "Algorithms tend to push the same content to everyone, and breaking out of that loop keeps me up at night." The old publishing playbook—preview to the press, massive launch marketing, then move on—no longer works reliably.

Schall pointed out that a teenager can now upload a game to Roblox or itch.io and attract millions without any publisher involvement. "They don’t even know what a publisher is, yet they’re wildly successful and often bypass traditional business structures," he observed. Secret Mode therefore keeps an eye on these disruptive, low‑cost creations, especially as visual fidelity becomes less of a differentiator. After years of chasing photorealism, the industry is shifting toward fun and distinctive artistic identities.

"We need to prioritize fun first," Schall concluded. While flagship titles like Star Wars: Galactic Racer will remain important, Schall believes there’s room for a wide array of experiences—including vector‑graphics, 2D, or wildly experimental games—provided they deliver enjoyment. In summary, Secret Mode is betting on two very different pillars: big‑budget, IP‑heavy games built by sizable teams, and tiny indie experiments such as Everything is Crab.

Which pillar will dominate the company’s future remains to be seen. Schall assures that the publisher will still consider larger projects if they make sense financially. "We’ll run the numbers and decide; size isn’t an automatic disqualifier," he said. Blincoe, however, cautions that the company must first prove its stability before over‑committing.

"We need to see how the games we’ve signed perform," he noted. "We have more announcements coming in the next months and into next year.

Let’s see how Star Wars does, walk before we run, and then decide the next steps for the company."