Earlier in the year, GameStop announced that they’d be taken a brave and previously untrodden step by launching their own publishing platform and that they would be working with Insomniac Games (Resistance, Ratchet & Clank, Sunset Overdrive). It was an interesting announcement that hardly anyone was really sure how to take.
Today they’ve expanded on that announcement, revealing GameTrust to be the name of their publishing platform. They’ve also announced that their initial partners won’t be limited to Insomniac Games, they’ll also be working with Ready At Dawn (The Order: 1886), Tequila Works (Deadlight, Rime) and Frozenbyte (Trine)
Mark Stanley, GameStop VP of Internal Development & Diversification stated:
We do not involve ourselves in the creative process because at the end of the day, that is what our developer partners are passionate about,” he explained. “By allowing developers to fully focus on their craft, GameTrust can focus on all other aspects of bringing a new IP to market, leveraging our deep expertise and retail channel leadership to support each developer and connect their games with a broader global audience.
Going into more detail, GameStop has commented that the scope of games they hope to publish could be anywhere from high budget AAA, to smaller indies, to games for the more casual audience. They also don’t seem to be focusing towards a particular platform as they talk about publishing for consoles, handhelds, PC and even VR. Not only that, but these titles will also be available through all the regular channels, such as Steam and console specific digital storefronts.
It’s a bold move, to say the least, and it’ll be interesting to see how their first project pans out, as it will undoubtedly decide how this project moves forward.
