LogIn25 out of 25 employees have quit the company, raising concerns about the future of developers working with Annapurna.
Annapurna Interactive
A mass exodus of unprecedented scale percentage-wise has recently occurred at Annapurna Interactive, the video game publisher known for such titles as Outer Wilds, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Stray, as the entire studio staff collectively resigned following failed negotiations with Annapurna Pictures CEO, Megan Ellison.
As reported by Jason Schreier, Annapurna Interactive's executive team, led by Nathan Gary, had been in discussions with Ellison about spinning off the company's video game publishing arm into an independent studio, a discussion that the CEO allegedly withdrew from in a one-way fashion. In response, Gary and the other execs had all collectively left Annapurna, and in a remarkable display of loyalty, the rest of the team followed suit, effectively leaving the publisher with zero workers.
"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," read the team's collective letter.
With an exodus of this scale being the first of its kind, many developers working with Annapurna have become concerned about the future of their projects. At the moment, the company has about a dozen upcoming games under its wing, including such gems as Lushfoil Photography Sim and We Kill Monsters, which the report states will remain under Annapurna's umbrella. Hector Sanchez, the publisher's new President, has allegedly reassured developers that the company will honor all existing contracts and replace the departed staff, although it can't be 100% confirmed as Schreier's sources preferred to stay anonymous.
"Our top priority is continuing to support our developer and publishing partners during this transition," Megan Ellison told Bloomberg. "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."
Despite the chaos currently taking place at Annapurna's publishing branch, it seems that the company's other departments continue working without a hitch. Just recently, Annapurna Pictures partnered up with Alan Wake and Control developer, Remedy Entertainment, promising to fund 50% of the development cost for Control 2 and obtaining the movie and TV rights of both the Control and Alan Wake franchises, with Remedy retaining IP rights for both franchises.
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