The entire team at Annapurna Interactive, the gaming publishing arm of Megan Ellison’s Annapurna studio, has resigned this month amid a conflict with their owner.
P resident Nathan Gary and his team had been engaged in discussions with Ellison, who is the daughter of billionaire Larry Ellison, regarding the potential separation of the video-game division into an independent entity. Following Ellison’s withdrawal from the negotiations, Gary and several key executives stepped down, prompting approximately two dozen other employees to follow suit.
In a joint statement, Gary and his team remarked, “All 25 members of the Annapurna Interactive team collectively resigned. This was one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make and we did not take this action lightly.”
Annapurna officials confirmed that a spinoff had been considered but that no agreement was reached, which precipitated the mass resignations.
“Our top priority is continuing to support our developer and publishing partners during this transition,” Ellison stated in a response to Bloomberg News. “We’re committed to not only our existing slate of games but also expanding our presence in the interactive space. We aim to integrate our storytelling across film, TV, gaming, and theater.”
The significant departure has created uncertainty among game developers who collaborate with Annapurna, as they seek clarity regarding the future of their projects. Annapurna, as a publisher, is responsible for essential services including game funding, quality assurance, localization, and marketing. In recent days, developers have been scrambling to establish new points of contact and determine whether their agreements with the company will be maintained.
Annapurna’s spokesperson assured that all current games and projects will remain under the company’s purview.
Hector Sanchez, who has recently taken over as president, has informed developers that existing contracts will be honored and that the company plans to replace the departed staff. Sanchez, who co-founded Annapurna Interactive, was reappointed last month.
Notably, Annapurna’s video game division is well-regarded for publishing critically acclaimed titles developed by small teams, earning numerous accolades for games including Outer Wilds, Stray, and Cocoon. Additionally, just last month, Annapurna revealed a partnership with Finnish gaming firm Remedy Entertainment to adapt the highly praised Control and Alan Wake franchises for film and television.
Earlier reports from The Hollywood Reporter noted the resignation of Annapurna Interactive’s top executives but did not specify that the entire team had left.
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