What Are Devolver Digital Working On… A Look At Their Studios
This year we are taking a look at Devolver Digital for the first time, which may seem odd given they publish games from other developers, but they also have their own studios.
2023 saw the studio publish 9 games, which is more than Xbox and PlayStation combined and their variety was fairly diverse, with 2024 looking to be even bigger. The studio also added two more developers to their group, growing from 5 to 7, there is no telling if they will do more of that this year though.
So does the unique nature of Devolver Digital equate to a lot of games? Let us take a look.
Croteam
Last Game Released: The Talos Principle 2 | Series: Serious Sam series, The Talos Principal series
Croteam are either a name you know of, or you know their work. Best know for the Serious Sam series, which never takes itself serious at any level, the studio bucked that trend in 2014 when they released The Talos Principal. Last year saw the studio release a sequel and the response was that people loved it.
Given they just put out a game and they tend to release something every 3 years or so, beyond DLC for the game, we should not expect any new games from them. However I do have to stress new, as the studio is known for helping out other team with their incubator program, it is how we got games like I Hate Running Backwards in the past. The studio also co-produces a number of titles, including the Serious Sam standalone expansion Siberian Mayhem. So with that program and their producing support, we could see something from them this year, it is also possible that Scum, which is approaching its 5th year in Early Access, will finally get a full release, but who knows with that one.
Good Shepherd Entertainment
Last Game Released: Hellboy: Web of Wyrd | Series: John Wick Hex, The Eternal Cylinder
There were a number of years where Good Shepherd Entertainment and Devolver Digital were competing, not directly, but they were both indie focused publishers who opted for sometimes weird and wacky. During this time the team at GSE released a number of games, across a number of genres, but that all changed in 2021 when Devolver Digital bought them up. Since then GSE has shrunk its focus to only being a few games a year and that is being generous, with 2023 seeing Showgunners and Hellboy: Web of Wyrd released.
Right now we know there is one project coming and one game coming, Dicefolk is the name, Chimera summoning is the game, though it does not have a release date at this point in time. The other is a big deal, as GSE has partnered with Rebellion, the folks that let you snipe Hitler, to create games based on the iconic 2000 AD Universe. If that does not make you pay attention, that means games from the home of Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, ABC Warrior and more. Sadly as the deal was only announced in July 2023, it will likely be a number of years before we get anything from it, but hey it could be worth the wait.
Nerial
Last Game Released: Card Shark | Series: Reigns series
After having a busy 2022, Nerial went kind of silent in 2023. Card Shark was posted about on socials and Reigns was getting pushed by Netflix, as part of its weird games on Netflix thing, but that was really it. The studio is obviously working on something, a sequel to either of their series being likely, but as they are not actively hiring for any roles, we can’t be sure on what their next game is. However, just days before this feature was published, the studio confirmed that Reigns: Three Kingdoms, formally a Netflix only game, will hit PC and Switch this week.
Firefly Studios
Last Game Released: Stronghold: Definitive Edition | Series: Stronghold series
In 2001 Firefly Studios released the first game in the Stronghold series, 22 years later that series now has 15 releases, if you include HD and Steam editions, the latest one being the Definitive Edition of the first game. The studio generally keeps quiet between releases, just aiming to sit down and get stuff done.
With the game out, you might think they will revert to their quiet state, but no they have plans. As you can see via the road map video below, the game has a lot of additional updates and content coming. Of course, specific dates for those drops is not yet known, but at least you know its coming.
Dodge Roll
Last Game Released: Exit the Gungeon | Series: Gungeon series
Having become a standard for bullet hell titles in the modern day with Enter the Gungeon, the folks at Dodge Roll took their time and went back for seconds with Exit the Gungeon back in 2019 and since then, it has been silence from the studio.
As for what is next, well we know they are actively working on something new, they have shared a single piece of art from the game, around a series of character designs, but that is it, you can see it below. Given the studio did release an arcade version called Enter the Gungeon: House of the Gundead, they may not have been all in on the sequel until after that was out, but that is coming up on 2 years ago now. So with time behind them, I expect we will hear about their next game this year.
Elden Ring looks amazing, and From Soft nailed it with the pot guys! It is only a little bittersweet that we were working on a similar pot enemy for our next game. At least we know now it was a good idea!
— Enter/Exit the Gungeon (@DodgeRollGames) June 11, 2021
whoops. pic.twitter.com/RcWPfWmhqs
Doinksoft
Last Game Released: Gunbrella | Series: Gato Roboto
Last year saw the group known as Doinksoft release the wonderful Gunbrella onto PC and Switch. With that being their attention and they being a small studio, I would not expect anything new from them in 2024, but it is possible that Gunbreall gets ported to other consoles sometime this year.
System Era Softworks
Last Game Released: ASTRONEER | Series: X
One of the acquisitions from 2023, System Era Softworks has created the beloved Astroneer, which is available on almost all platforms, sorry Atari Jaguar fans. You might think that since the game left early access back in 2019, that the studio has to be working on something new and you would be partly correct. The studio has been working on new content and updates for Astroneer in that time, but no new game.
2024 will see the studio release more content for the game, with 4 major releases across the year, starting this month with its anniversary update. Alongside content will be new events, but it is the end of the year that will see something big arrive when the game gets an expansion.
Publishing
Ahr Ech
Last Game Released: None | Series: None
The debut game from this developer is Pepper Grinder, which made quite the impression with its debut trailer. The game was revealed in 2022 and aiming for a 2023 release, but sadly at the 2023 Devolver Delayed, a direct style presentation where the game was shifted to a 2024 release date. At this time there is no firmer date beyond that, but you can check out the trailer for it again as it looks so good.
All Possible Futures
Last Game Released: None | Series: None
The debut game this might be, but the folks behind All Possible Futures have been doing their thing for quite a while with Jonathan Biddle responsible for one of my favourite Wii U download titles, Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones. The other founding member James Turner worked on a small indie series called Pokémon, where he designed for 4 different generations of the series and created Sinistea, Phantump and Vanillite amongst others.
Development on The Plucky Squire has been going for a while now and the developers happy with the progress and while the game was moved to 2024, they are apparently on track, so baring any issues from Jot, it should release later this year.
Free Lives
Last Game Released: Terra Nil | Series: Gorn, Broforce, Cricket Through the Ages
Developer Free Lives had a good 2023, as the long in development Terra Nil saw a release on PC, Netflix and then as a surprise release at the end of the year, Switch. While they did release a game in 2023, that has not slowed them down as they have two more titles already on the way, both of which were delayed out of last year.
Anger Foot and Stick it to the Stickman are both expected sometime this year and while both are for PC, they are vastly different games, though there is a fair bit of kicking in both. The studio is not too shy about talking about the pros and cons of game development, so expect to hear a good amount of both and for both games as whatever release date they get draws closer.
Gabe Cuzzillo
Last Game Released: Ape Out | Series: Ape Out
In 2019 developer Gabe Cuzzillo released a game that I adored called Ape Out, where the jazz infused soundtrack would be created as you went on your ape escape. He has now partnered with Bennett Foddy and Maxi Boch to create Baby Steps, a game about going for a walk.
When the game was first revealed, it was always aiming for a 2024 release date, so its not a delayed game like some in the list, but with that means slow drips of news. While the game might be aiming for a release this year, there is no firm date, so don’t expect to see much on this one, until they are ready to lock things down.
Nomada Studio
Last Game Released: GRIS | Series: GRIS
When I reviewed the Switch OLED, the first game I installed to it in order to test out the OLED screen was Lumines, as I remember it from the Vita, but the second game was GRIS. While the plan was only to play for a few minutes, I quickly lost another hour to the game without realising it, with how stunning that game looks. Nomada Studio announced their follow up game last year and are aiming to bring Neva out this year.
I wish I could give a more firmer date than that, but sadly its just the year for now. If the game plays half as good as it looks, then expect to really enjoy this one.
Sam Eng
Last Game Released: None | Series: None
Another title that was included in the Delayed presentation, Skate Story by Sam Eng has you take on the role of a demon who is made of crystal and in order to be free, they must skate to the moon and swallow it. The catch, you stack it and you break.
The game was first revealed in 2022 and while we have seen the game since then, those looks are few and far between, as the game is now meant to release in 2024, we should start seeing more of it, especially as the game gets closer to release.
So there you go, all we could find out about Devolver Digital and their 2024 plans. Of course, as the publisher is known for being weird and wacky, in the best way possible, they might do the complete opposite of whatever we have said. Only time will tell with this one. Do you think we got close? Sound off in the comments and let us know.
