Versus Evil veterans launch indie publisher Digital Bandidos
New label to focus on PC and console games with a budget under $3 million
New full-service publisher Digital Bandidos has come out of stealth.
Launched by Versus Evil alumni Steve Escalante and Lance James, Digital Bandidos has been operational for a few months, but has just been formally unveiled.
Escalante, formerly general manager and founder of Versus Evil, will act as CEO, while James (previously head of production at Versus Evil) will be the publisher's executive producer.
The new label will be focusing on indie titles, specialising in PC and console games with a budget under $3 million. It'll particularly focus on role-playing, strategy, and action games.
The announcement clarified that the publisher is also keen to "acquire new and established intellectual properties to bring them to new platforms and expand them with additional content, HD versions, and more."
Digital Bandidos will be offering a funding model that consists of "small acquisition-type buyouts of existing games," as well as a "sliding scale of investment funds" depending on developers' needs.
The publisher has already signed two projects: Blank Media's The Town of Salem series, with the second entry due to launch on mobile soon, and Early Access title Soulstone Survivors, which it will bring to more platforms.
Escalante commented: "I've spent the first half of 2024 talking with studios in North America and Europe about the challenges they face in today's market. The message is clear: they need good partners, funding, expertise in publishing, and help to bring their products to fruition. That means continuing the journey I started over ten years ago of championing the indie game developer. We have even better tools, more experience, a proven track record, and an amazing team. We couldn't be happier with the direction we are headed in and are incredibly excited about the future of Digital Bandidos."
Versus Evil shut down in December 2023, a few weeks after its leadership settled a legal dispute with parent company TinyBuild. Steve Escalante had left the company earlier in December.
TinyBuild had acquired Versus Evil and sister company Red Cerberus in November 2021.