Employees at Annapurna Interactive, the games division of Megan Ellison's Annapurna, have resigned. collectively After the failure of the group's division deal, according to Bloomberg News Agency.
Founded in 2016, Annapurna Interactive has partnered with specialist game studios to produce several critically acclaimed titles, including “Stray” (pictured above), described as “a third-person cat adventure game set amidst the detailed, neon-lit alleyways of a crumbling cybercity,” as well as “What Remains of Edith Finch,” “Outer Wilds” and “Neon White.”
The departures come after talks between Ellison and Nathan Gary, the former president of Annapurna Interactive, to spin off the gaming unit as a separate company broke down. “All 25 members of the Annapurna Interactive team have resigned en masse,” Gary and the other employees said in a joint statement to Bloomberg on Thursday. “This was one of the most difficult decisions we have ever had to make and we did not take this action lightly.”
Ellison, founder and CEO of Annapurna, said her company’s gaming business will continue. “Our top priority is to continue supporting our developer and publishing partners through this transition,” she said in a statement to Bloomberg. “We are committed not only to our existing game portfolio but also to expanding our presence in the interactive space as we continue to look for opportunities to embrace a more integrated approach to linear and interactive storytelling across film, television, games and theater.” She is the daughter of Oracle founder Larry Ellison and sister of Skydance Media’s David Ellison.
Last month, Hector Sanchez, one of the original founders of Annapurna Interactive, returned to Annapurna as head of interactive and new media. He previously worked at Epic Games for five years, most recently as head of Unreal Engine games.
Annapurna representatives did not respond to a request for additional information.
Annapurna Interactive says on its website that it “works with game creators from around the world” to develop and launch “personalized experiences for everyone.” The company’s portfolio of titles includes “Stray,” “Neon White,” “Outer Wilds,” “Cocoon,” “Storyteller,” “What Remains of Edith Finch,” “Sayonara Wild Hearts,” “Thirsty Suitors,” “Lorelei and the Laser Eyes,” “Solar Ash,” “Flock” and “A Memoir Blue.” Its upcoming games include “Forever Ago,” “Skin Deep,” “Bounty Star,” “Silent Hill: Townfall,” “Wanderstop,” “Mixtape” and “Morsels.”
