Independent game publisher Annapurna Interactive, known for critically acclaimed titles such as and many others, has suddenly lost all its employees in a stunning turn of events? According to Bloomberg, talks between Annapurna Interactive workers and their parent company, Annapurna Pictures, had stalled over the possibility of spinning off the game developer as its own independent entity, following Megan Ellison’s decision to withdraw from negotiations; subsequently, Annapurna Interactive president and co-founder Nathan Gary tendered his resignation.
When Gary resigned, he was followed suit by various employees at Annapurna Interactive, with the rest of the company’s workforce subsequently departing as well. According to Bloomberg’s report, studios that had partnered with Annapurna Interactive for publishing their games are now scrambling to find alternative points of contact within the company after the sudden announcement, leaving them unclear about whether their existing agreements will remain in effect.
Despite this news, a representative for Annapurna confirmed that the company will continue working on all current projects and titles with which it is already associated.
Meanwhile, Larry Ellison emphasized in a statement that his top priority remains unchanged: providing unwavering support to developers and publishing partners as they navigate this transformation. As a leader in the video game industry, we’re committed to expanding our reach beyond our current portfolio of titles, while also exploring innovative ways to integrate storytelling across film, television, and theater through interactive experiences.
Hector Sanchez, a co-founder who recently rejoined Annapurna Interactive as president, has informed fellow studios that the entire writers’ team will be revamped, with existing agreements remaining in place.
Annapurna Interactive is poised to release several key titles, with one notable example being the game developed by No Code. Recently, Annapurna further solidified its involvement by announcing a co-financing partnership with Treatment Leisure, potentially expanding the collaboration beyond the event to encompass “movies, TV shows, and other mediums”.
