Last week, four video game veterans unveiled Midnighters, a new publishing firm based in Australia. The firm will provide production and publishing support to indie developers to build video games “confidently and sustainably”.
The co-directors have previously worked on reputable titles, including Cult of the Lamb, Art of Rally, and Alto’s Adventure. The company’s roster of executives includes Jacob Vincent, Aaron Oak, Jair McBain, and Zea Wolfe.
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“Midnighters provide a fresh take on video game publishing and in-house production support, from a collective of expert producers behind titles you know and love,” read the firm’s unveiling message on LinkedIn.
“Here to lend devs and publishers with an extra set of hands. Are you a dev or publisher that could use some help bringing your games to life? Give us a shout! Are you a games creator looking for a publisher with dev-friendly terms and an understanding of what it’s like to be in your shoes?
“We’re on the lookout to publish titles that are;
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💡 Original – Stand out with fresh ideas
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✨ Social – Shared worlds, shared stories
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📣 Resonant – Built to cut through the noise
Midnighters will offer a full-service or “light-touch” publishing experience, depending on negotiable terms that are tailored to their partners’ needs. It appears a deluge of developers is approaching Midnighters already.
“It’s been a wild 48 hours since launch,” the firm announced two days after unveiling the brand, “thanks so much, everyone, for trusting us to take a look at your projects!”
“Apologies for any delays in communication, we’re doing our best to get through everything while making sure we give each project our full attention and careful consideration. 🙏✨”
Midnighters has an active project, but is accepting pitches
Midnighters is already working with Fat Alien Cat and Nomo Studio on a project titled Momento. The game is described as a “cozy room decorator with a charming branching narrative—ready for release”.
Talking about the studio and the game, Midnighters said, “They’re an incredible bunch of people building a truly special project and we can’t wait for you all to get your hands on it. Keep an eye out for some exciting announcements in the coming months”.
Gamers who make it to Melbourne Games Week will have a chance to play Momento, which should also give them a hint at the types of games that the new publisher plans to back.
The new publisher would like to collaborate on projects of varying scales and provide upfront funding if necessary. Midnighters would also like to collaborate with teams that don’t need direct investment. In such cases, it would offer support for a “smaller share of project royalties than a typical publisher would expect”.
“The typical publishing model doesn’t always meet the needs of independent developers. With our background as artists, designers, and engineers ourselves, we aim to offer a tailored approach that supports developers in doing what they do best,” said co-director Zea Wolfe via Game Developer. “We are driven by a deep understanding of what it feels like to be in their shoes.”
Midnighters will love to collaborate on community-driven experiences and scalable projects. The firm is accepting pitches, and you can send yours here. When sending pitches, you are encouraged to include builds, decks, and footage in your submission.
