Telltale Games, the studio known for its episodic adventure games, shut down abruptly last year, laying off most of its staff and even removing its catalog from stores. However, all is not lost, as a new company, LCG Entertainment, has now acquired the remaining Telltale key assets, technology, trademarks, as well as intellectual properties for re-releases and new entries.
Some staff from the original studio is returning for this new venture as well, both as contractors and as full-time employees. The new studio is set up in Malibu, California, and it is expected to stay compact for the next six months or so.
The new company is led by Jamie Ottilie and Brian Waddle. Athlon Games will be serving as the publishing and marketing partner for the new company as gaming industry veterans Chris Kingsley, Lyle Hall, Tobias Sjögren come in as investors.
During an interview with Polygon, Ottilie has said that although some franchise rights like The Walking Dead and Stranger Things are now under other companies or with the original owners, the new Telltale has acquired the right to sell hits such as The Wolf Among Us and Batman, alongside original Telltale-made experiences. See the full list here.
"All of us were big fans of the games Telltale created, as we strongly believe in games as a storytelling medium and nobody did it better," said Jamie Ottilie, CEO of the new Telltale Games. "Even now, when you see a game with strong narrative, it’s always compared to Telltale, so it’s no surprise that players and industry colleagues alike mourned the studio’s closure. We believe there is still so much life to the brand and its franchises, and we look forward to building upon the company’s storytelling legacy."
It seems as though we can expect some of the removed Telltale titles to return to storefronts in the near future. As for any sequels or new games the company will be developing, Ottilie has confirmed the episodic format will remain a feature, but hopes to change up the pacing.