Former Gearbox Publishing Developers Launch Unique Game Studio: Cooldown Video Games

Image courtesy of Cooldown Games.

Former employees at Gearbox Publishing have established a distinctive publisher, Cooldown Games.

In a discussion with Bloomberg, co-founder and CEO Steve Gibson commented that their mission remains as it was at Gearbox: to deliver “promising projects” to the gaming market while continuing to collaborate with former colleagues following the sale of Gearbox Software to Take-Two last year. Although some team members stayed with Embracer and rebranded as Arc Games, others were let go as part of the parent company’s restructuring efforts.

Assisting Gibson in launching this new venture are key executives Matt Charles (product), Erick Cobbs (business), Jackson Hardesty (operations), Jeff Skal (marketing), Jimmy Sieben (technology), and Brad Schliesser (sales).

Stay cool(down), man

Cooldown’s primary aim is to release titles “where you won’t feel like you’re missing out if you don’t play them constantly.” Skal pointed out the ongoing challenges with live-service games that are competing for players’ attention when they already own “forever games” set in stone. Cooldown’s releases, he argued, can serve as refreshing alternatives amidst titles that “demand more from us than we are able to provide.”

To achieve this, Gibson stated that games from interested developers should fit into at least two of its three categories: dependability, such as a game from a seasoned studio or a remaster of a classic title; the potential to become a “next big hit”; or a project that teaches Cooldown something new or “strengthens our ties with particular platforms.”

“Our team is confident that sound business models will be a long-term asset for Cooldown Games and that this could be a refreshing shift from many current industry patterns,” Gibson mentioned in the company announcement. “My enthusiasm for supporting game creators in reaching as many players as possible while ensuring a rewarding experience for all parties involved drives our mission.”

Developers interested in collaborating with Cooldown can reach out to the studio here, and those looking for employment can apply here. Meanwhile, Gibson’s interview with Bloomberg, which also highlights his experiences at Gearbox Publishing and Embracer before being laid off, can be found here.

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