Thatgamecompany Gets Funding, Goes Fully Independent

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Sony and the PlayStation brand will definitely miss Thatgamecompany's exclusive offerings, but at least a wider audience will be able to appreciate the studio's innovative, artistic visions.

After completing their three-game deal with Sony, Thatgamecompany decided to strike out on their own, and the latest update is a positive one: They've raised $5.5 million, which will allow the team to create and release games independently. Yep, you got it right: This means self-publishing.

Thatgamecompany co-founder and creative director Jenova Chen said the funds will do their job; the studio will release games "to more platforms and provide what it sees as an optimal experience to players." VC firm Benchmark Capital provided the necessary money, and general partner Mitch Lasky will join Thatgamecompany's board of directions. Lasky said the developer's vision rivals that of Pixar's contributions to animation. ...and that's one hell of a compliment. Said Lasky:

"The intent of the investment is to provide the resources for TGC to remain independent, so they can innovate with complete autonomy from the pressures of platforms and publishers."

Thatgamecompany's last title, Journey, became the fastest-selling PSN title in the US and was greeted with high critical acclaim. Lastly, here's Chen's comment to Joystiq:

"We are extremely excited to be partnering with Benchmark Capital, as now we are going to be self-publishing our next games. We haven't announced if our next game will be multiplatform, but we are trying to reach a larger audience than that of the PS3."

Good luck, guys.

Tags: thatgamecompany, journey, flower, flow

6/14/2012 8:20:46 PM John Shepard

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