thatgamecompany Launches thatgamepublisher Label for Emotional Games
thatgamepublisher's full-service model, which pairs funding with marketing and IP development, sets it apart from other indie publishers that focus mainly on fundraising.
Key Facts
- thatgamecompany established thatgamepublisher, a publishing label for ambitious, emotionally resonant games, announced on August 25, 2026.
- thatgamecompany was founded in the United States in 2006 and celebrated its 20th anniversary on May 15, 2026.
- Sky: Children of the Light surpassed 300 million cumulative downloads globally.
- thatgamepublisher plans to invest in AA-scale projects, unlike typical indie publishers that invest under $1 million.
- Publishing contracts for several titles were signed as of the interview, with details undisclosed.
Reporting from 4 sources: 4Gamer.net, Automaton, GameBusiness.jp, Game Spark.
thatgamecompany, the studio behind Journey and Sky: Children of the Light, announced on August 25, 2026 that it has established a new publishing label called thatgamepublisher. The label targets ambitious, emotionally resonant games and supports developers who use interactivity to expand the emotional range games can convey. According to an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, the success of Sky, particularly in the Chinese region, generated surplus funds that enabled the creation of the division. Co-founder Jenova Chen said indie studios with hit titles naturally want to invest in areas they understand, citing examples like Pocketpair and its Palworld publishing arm. thatgamepublisher will offer more than funding, including production planning, platform and launch strategy, marketing, community building, and long-term IP development. The division also plans to invest in larger AA-scale projects, a departure from typical indie publishers that invest under $1 million. Publishing contracts for several titles were already signed at the time of the interview, though details were not disclosed. The company's official X account invited developers of any team size, development stage, or genre to apply.
thatgamecompany marked its 20th anniversary on May 15, 2026, the same year it launched the new label. The studio's catalog includes "flOw" (2006) and "Flower" (2009), both praised for artistic design. "Flower" was conceived as an "interactive poem" depicting emotional arcs rather than a narrative, and in 2013 it became a permanent collection item at the Smithsonian Museum. The Museum of Modern Art in New York houses three thatgamecompany works: "flOw," "Flower," and "Journey."
In an interview published on 4Gamer on July 24, Chen recounted an episode that convinced him video games have therapeutic effects and can help people recover from grief. He also noted that indie studios entering publishing is a "natural choice," citing Innersloth, the developer of "Among Us," and Kinetic Games, the developer of "Phasmophobia," which recently set up publishing divisions. Domestically, Pocketpair launched Pocketpair Publishing, handling the Japanese release of "Windrose."
Chen cited structural industry changes as another factor. When "Journey" released, platform holders like PlayStation had significant influence over distribution, but now players themselves spread games, and communities around friendship-themed games attract fans seeking similar works. SJ Xue, leader of the publishing division, said the division emphasizes building transparent, developer-friendly partnerships, and that in emotionally ambitious projects, creative development, production, positioning, marketing, community, and platform strategy are closely interconnected.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- 4Gamer.net 「Sky 星を紡ぐ子どもたち」「風ノ旅ビト」のthatgamecompanyがパブリッシングレーベルを設立。感情に訴えかける意欲的なゲームに特化
- Automaton 『風ノ旅ビト』や『Sky 星を紡ぐ子どもたち』のthatgamecompany、パブリッシャー部門を設立。余ったお金で開発支援、“AA級ゲーム”のパブリッシングにも挑戦へ
- GameBusiness.jp 『Sky』『風ノ旅ビト』開発元がパブリッシング部門を設立！“ゲームというメディアの新たな感情領域開拓”を応援すべく余剰資金を投資
- Game Spark 『Sky』『風ノ旅ビト』開発元がパブリッシング部門を設立！“ゲームというメディアの新たな感情領域開拓”を応援すべく余剰資金を投資