Yahoo Finance Annapurna’s Entire Gaming Staff Quits
The staff of Annapurna Interactive, the games division of Megan Ellison’s Annapurna, has resigned en masse after a deal to spin off the group fell through, Bloomberg reports.
Founded in 2016, Annapurna Interactive has partnered with boutique game studios for several critically acclaimed titles, including “Stray” (pictured above), described as a “third-person cat adventure game set amidst the detailed, neon-lit alleys of a decaying cybercity,” as well as “What Remains of Edith Finch,” “Outer Wilds” and “Neon White.”
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The staff exodus came after a breakdown in talks between Ellison and Nathan Gary, formerly president of Annapurna Interactive, to spin the gaming unit off as a separate company. “All 25 members of the Annapurna Interactive team collectively resigned,” Gary and the other employees said in a joint statement Thursday to Bloomberg. “This was one of the hardest 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. In a statement confirmed by company reps to Variety, Ellison said: “Our top priority is continuing to support our developer and publishing partners during this transition. We’re committed to not only our existing slate of games but also expanding our presence in the interactive space as we continue to look for opportunities to take a more integrated approach to linear and interactive storytelling across film and TV, gaming 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 co-founders of Annapurna Interactive, rejoined Annapurna as president of interactive and new media. He had previously been at Epic Games for five years, most recently as head of the Unreal Engine games business.
Annapurna Interactive says on its website that it “works with game creators from around the world” to develop and release “personal experiences for everyone.” The division’s portfolio of game 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 slate includes “Forever Ago,” “Skin Deep,” “Bounty Star,” “Silent Hill: Townfall,” “Wanderstop,” “Mixtape” and “Morsels.”
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