505 Games will publish Remedy Entertainment's new game
Deal includes €7.75 million in additional development funds for "Project 7," but Remedy will keep hold of the IP rights
Remedy Entertainment has signed a worldwide publishing deal with Digital Bros. subsidiary 505 Games for its new project, a multi-platform titles currently know as "Project 7."
As part of the deal, Remedy will receive €7.75 million in development funds, as well as 505 Games' marketing and publishing resources and expertise for the global launch of P7 on both physical and digital platforms.
The game is confirmed for PC, Xbox One and, as we reported last month, PlayStation 4 - the first time a Remedy game has appeared on a Sony console since May Payne 2 in 2003. Remedy will receive 45% of net sales as part of the deal.
"It is a sign of how far 505 Games has come that we are now in a position to partner with such a talented development studio," said Digital Bros. CEO Raffaele Galante in a statement. "Our mutual life-stages, ambitions and business objectives are actually very well-aligned and we are excited to enter into what feels like a very natural partnership."
According to Remedy, P7 will be a "cinematic third-person action game" - very much its area of expertise - set in an original universe. The company emphasised that P7 would be a "long-lasting experience," mentioning both its structure and "the deepest game mechanics yet in a Remedy game." Crucially, Remedy will also retain the IP rights.
"505 Games brings into this partnership experience and competences that help us successfully make this vision become reality together," said Remedy CEO Tero Virtala. "Remedy is also investing in P7 and is deeply committed to creating an unique gaming experience that will keep the players engaged and playing for a long time to come."
This deal calls to mind another partnership between 505 Games and a Nordic developer: Starbreeze, which reinvented itself through the 505-published Payday 2. After signing the deal in September 2012, Starbreeze was subsequently able to buy back the full IP rights in May 2016.
By that time, the Swedish developer had used Payday's success to move into publishing, most notably with Behaviour Interactive's breakout hit, Dead by Daylight. It now has Psychonauts 2 and System Shock 3 on its books, high-profile single-player games that are symbolic of Starbreeze's first-party focus on co-op and multiplayer IP.