Annapurna Interactive Staff Leaves, Shaping Future

Annapurna Interactive Faces Uncertain Future After Mass Staff Resignation

A significant shakeup has hit Annapurna Interactive, the video game publishing arm of Annapurna Pictures. The entire staff, reportedly over 20 employees, has resigned following failed negotiations with parent company Annapurna Pictures.

The Resignation's Fallout

The mass exodus, led by former president Nathan Gary, stemmed from an attempt to establish Annapurna Interactive as an independent entity. When negotiations with Annapurna Pictures broke down, the entire team followed Gary's lead.

According to Bloomberg, Gary confirmed the collective resignation of all 25 team members, emphasizing the difficult nature of the decision. The team issued a joint statement underscoring the gravity of their action.

Annapurna Pictures CEO Megan Ellison assured partners of their commitment to ongoing projects and future expansion in interactive entertainment, stating a desire for more integrated storytelling across their various media.

The Impact on Partners

This mass resignation leaves indie developers who collaborated with Annapurna Interactive in a precarious position. Many are actively seeking clarification on the status of existing agreements. Remedy Entertainment, whose Control 2 was partially funded by Annapurna Interactive, publicly confirmed their deal is with Annapurna Pictures and that they are self-publishing Control 2. This statement, from Remedy's communications director Thomas Puha on Twitter (X), offered some reassurance.

Annapurna's Response

In response, Annapurna Interactive has appointed Hector Sanchez, a co-founder, as its new president. Sources suggest Sanchez is working to assure partners that existing contracts will be honored and the departed staff will be replaced. This follows a previous announcement of a broader restructuring of gaming operations, including the departures of Gary, and co-heads Deborah Mars and Nathan Vella.

For further details on Annapurna's restructuring, please see our related article.