Poncle, the studio behind Vampire Survivors, is again making a sound in the gaming industry, this time, however, not over a new game but a novel take on publishing.
At Game Republic in Liverpool, this was discussed, and Poncle's publishing arm looks to redefine how support for independent games is played out versus the traditional publisher model.
All About Indie Game Empowerment
Unlike most publishers, Poncle doesn't care about owning IP or dictating the creative direction of developers. The team wants to empower these indie devs to create the games they are passionate about.
According to Game Biz, funding will come with support in areas that, for instance, include first-party platform navigation, localization, and release management in a completely developer-centric model that lets them make their choices.
What is Poncle Looking For Games?
As for Poncle, they are pretty picky when it comes to the sort of game they would support. The team looks for titles portraying "sincerity, passion, and depth." That is games that are seriously meant to be played rather than a project driven by the people who want to ride the new trends. They wish to promote creativity within the indie game development community, encouraging developers to build projects that resonate with the players.
Poncle's 'Insta-No' Pitches: What They Won't Accept
The company is open but has also set boundaries for the types of games they absolutely cannot accept. This is to avoid crowding up a marketplace with games that are too similar. For instance, Survivor-like games would be too much.
Aside from these, Poncle is not interested in games including AI or Web3 technologies or free-to-play mobile games. The strict policy indicates that they are passionate about projects that can focus on creating new things rather than purely on those that go according to the market trend.
'Vampire Survivors': Blueprint to Success
The breakout hit of Poncle is Vampire Survivors, the epitome of passion and creativity that they will encourage, among others. Released in 2022 for PC, Mac, Xbox, and mobile, in 2023, the game came to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation.
VGC said Vampire Survivors was critical by nature, with Metacritic scores between 86 and 95. The fresh design of the game and nicely consuming gameplay brought in awards, such as winning the Action Game of the Year at the DICE Awards and several mentions at the BAFTA Games Awards.
What Awaits Vampire Survivors and Poncle?
As Vampire Survivors continues to explode, Poncle recently announced that it will soon bring the game to PlayStation consoles and Contra-themed DLC already seen on other platforms earlier this year. As Poncle makes its publishing debut, that winning combination of innovation and passion may help indie developers find their way forward amidst the rising tide of increased competition within the market.
Given how the profit margins of this industry and trendy gimmicks weigh in, this approach by Poncle stands refreshing: focus on what matters most: creativity and authenticity.
For an indie developer seeking a good publisher with the same vision, this could be the one they need.
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