PlayStack wants to ‘fix the word publisher’

A new UK games business has emerged at Gamescom that wants to ‘fix’ the word ‘publisher’ in the eyesof developers.

PlayStack is a fully-funded UK games publisher. It wants to release six games this year and sign a further 20 in 2017. Its first game, the smartphone title Nemesis: Air Combat, is out this week. The firm says it is already in deep negotiations over a number of promising titles across all platforms.

The new business will offer developers support with marketing, PR, technology and funding. The team currently consists of 20 staff, split across the UK HQ and a Polish office. Former Acclaim, EA, BAFTA and Marmalade executive Harvey Elliott is PlayStack’s CEO.

Publisher is not a nice word,” Elliott told MCV @ Gamescom. I’ve been in the industry my entire career, either making games or making tech for games. That’s why I wanted to be a publisher, because I know how I would have liked a publisher to behave. I want to fix the word publisher.

I want to redefine what publishing means to people. As a developer, you want to be supported, you want to be funded, you want to have people that know what they’re doing in terms of bringing a game to market, and who can give you the right advice. My job is to provide that, get developers backed, get their messaging right, get their games right, bring them to market with a great marketing campaign, and deliver them to the world.”