Wargaming launches free-to-play publishing label and signs Total War: Arena
New initiative is separate to WG Labs
World of Tanks maker Wargaming has launched another games publishing label - Wargaming Alliance.
Unlike its WG Labs initiative, Alliance is dedicated to free-to-play gaming, offering third-party publishers and studios access to the firm's tools and '100m subscriber base'.
The first game to release under this Alliance banner is Total War: Arena from Sega and Creative Assembly. The upcoming free-to-play PC game was first announced back in 2013.
"Sega is constantly exploring ways in which its diverse range of IPs can be brought to a wider gaming audience," said Sega Europe president Jurgen Post.
"This strategic partnership with Wargaming, to release Total War: Arena as the first game on the Wargaming Alliance platform, presents a unique opportunity for Creative Assembly's eagerly anticipated creation to realise its full potential. Working with Wargaming, a market leader in the free-to-play space, and by utilising their extensive experience and expertise in this area, Sega is confident that Total War: Arena will become the worldwide hit it deserves to be."
Head of Wargaming Alliance Vladimir Makarychev added: "For the past seven years, Wargaming has worked hard to establish itself as an industry leader in publishing games within the free-to-play area. Through the Wargaming Alliance label we hope to share our knowledge with other companies entering this highly competitive landscape and are extremely excited to partner with SEGA and Creative Assembly to ensure Total War: ARENA is a resounding success."