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When you think of major publishers, perhaps the likes of EA, Take-Two, Microsoft, and Sony come to mind. That’s fair enough. These are, after all, some of the biggest by revenue. But I’d argue that a publisher that has carved out a unique identity for itself, Devolver Digital, is one of the most important outfits in the video game industry today.
Evolving, Not Devolving
Devolver Digital has a reputation for being a little silly. The American video game publisher has developed and nurtured its unique identity over the past decade or so. What started as a tiny publisher focused on remakes of the Serious Sam games, began its meteoric growth with the publication of indie hit, Hotline Miami, in 2012.
From there, Devolver only went from strength to strength. It published the indie sensation, Fall Guys, before Epic Games acquired developer Mediatonic and took the rights to the IP. But aside from such popular hits, Devolver has developed a remarkably colorful, varied catalogue. As different as the games are, from bloodsoaked, neon trip Katana Zero to the gorgeous, soulful adventure of Neva, Devolver strives to ensure the titles it publishes have one thing in common. As co-founder Nigel Lowrie said to Gamesradar back in 2015:
“It’s certainly not a science but Devolver Digital is looking for games that are doing something new and are taking a risk in some form or fashion to set itself apart. This doesn’t mean it has to be revolutionary but the game needs to have an element or mechanic or some edge that strikes us in some indescribable way.”
Find and publish games that are unique in some way. It hardly sounds like a radical, revolutionary approach, does it? And yet, in this current age of rampant layoffs, failing high-profile projects, and remasters, I’d argue that the philosophy is more important than ever. Although execs don’t like to admit it, the video game industry is built on creativity. By giving indie developers the financial and knowledge support to be creative, and to take risks, Devolver Digital is performing a crucial service for the whole of the medium. It may sound like hyperbole, but I genuinely don’t think it is.
Method Behind the Madness
I’m not the only one who is full of praise for what Devolver Digital is doing, either. Ask any aspiring indie developer looking for a publisher who their ideal partner would be, and no doubt Devolver would pop up more times than not. That’s because put simply, Devolver has a reputation amongst developers for being extremely supportive. The publisher has very high standards, sure, but it understands that its continued success is founded on reputation, and reputation needs constant nurturing.
Take, for example, the recent way Devolver announced the delay of three of its upcoming games. As you’d expect, it’s silly, with tongue-in-cheek humor and more than a dash of the bizarre. Hilariously, the video even highlighted games that “tragically went to market with great success”, and as such were no longer eligible to be delayed into 2025.
Beyond the comedy, though, Devolver Digital is sending a very clear message: If you sign on with us and your game needs more time to make it sing, we’ll do our best to give you that time. Of course, this means giving the developer more budget to complete their project. Devolver simply wouldn’t do this, and indeed have a history of doing so, if quality wasn’t their primary concern.
Uniqueness To Be Treasured
Every publisher wants to make money. That’s a given. But how the companies go about achieving that goal varies hugely. While certain mega-publishers chase the live service trends and rely on huge, legacy IPs, Devolver Digital has stuck to its guns since its inception in 2009. The way it supports the risk-takers, the unique, has resulted in stunning games such as a recent favorite of ours, The Plucky Squire, and the profound Neva.
Granted, not all of the games Devolver Digital publishes are critical and commercial successes. Indeed, it seems that in 2022 the publisher made a net loss.
But, like the very games it champions, Devolver takes risks. In the current climate of risk-aversion, shareholder-pleasing myopia, that boldness is more important than ever. The publisher continuously, tirelessly searches for and supports developers with unique visions, knowing full well that it just takes a few to runaway successes, such as Fall Guys, to make bank. So, I say long live, Devolver Digital. Oh, and did I mention it has its dedicated merch store? How cool is that?
