In what was described by some as “a show of force”, the entire staff of Annapurna Interactive’s gaming division has resigned after failing to reach an agreement with the owner to spin off the video game division as an independent entity.
Megan Elliot, the founder of Annapurna Interactive
According to a Bloomberg report, Annapurna Interactive president Nathan Gary walked out with his team after a protracted negotiation with Megan Ellison, the daughter of the billionaire and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, who owns the company, failed to yield a positive result.
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“All 25 members of the Annapurna Interactive team collectively resigned,’’ Gary said in a joint statement. “This was one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make and we did not take this action lightly.”
Annapurna was launched in 2011 as a film production company before foraying into games in 2016, it made an almost instant impact in the video game industry. What Remains of Edith Finch won the BAFTA for Best Game in 2017 and two years later Outer Wilds won the same award. The company has produced other highly loved indie titles including Stray which was a Game of the Year nominee at The Game Awards.
Annapurna has been trying to integrate its TV and films division with its gaming division. They hired co-founder Hector Sanchez from Epic Games to serve as president of interactive and new media.
According to a spokesperson, all existing projects will continue under the Annapurna brand. Speaking to Bloomberg, Ellison said, “Our priority is continuing to support our developer and publishing partners during this transition”.
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“We’re committed to not only our existing slate of games but also expanding our presence in the interactive space as we continue to look for opportunities to take a more integrated approach to linear and interactive storytelling across film and TV, gaming, and theater.”
In August, Remedy Entertainment announced a strategic partnership with Annapurna that will see the latter co-finance and bring Remedy IPs to cinema. Reacting to the deal at that time, Remedy’s CEO Tero Virtala said, “In Annapurna, we found an outstanding partner who shares our ambition and passion for immersive storytelling”.
What do you think is the way forward for Annapurna at this point? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
