Team17 Transforms into Everplay: Embracing the Evolution of the Gaming Landscape
By In February, Team17 Group PLC officially transformed its name to Everplay Group PLC.
According to the announcement, the rebranding serves as a “significant mechanism” that primarily influences its brand identity. Team17, functioning as a developer, publisher, and gaming label will retain its name, as will the simulation-driven Astragon Entertainment (known for Police Simulator) and the educational content creator StoryToys.
Similarly, the primary objective of becoming a “global indie powerhouse” remains unchanged. Then why the transition? CEO Steve Bell stated it better reflects how the company’s business has “evolved significantly” since its IPO in 2018 and aligns with “our essence to never cease playing.”
As its three divisions focus on their unique specialties, Everplay will emphasize supporting catalog sales by “prioritizing our portfolio and timeless franchises.” This will also facilitate greater cross-collaboration, both internally and “across complementary sectors within the wider indie market.”
What’s in a game’s name?
Recent years have witnessed game developers and publishers undergo rebranding, whether adopting entirely new names or ones that better reflect their identity. For instance, Focus Entertainment transitioned its name to Pullup Entertainment in January 2024, and similar to Everplay, the change primarily affected its name.
On the other hand, 343 Industries rebranding as Halo Studios last October came with a commitment to utilizing Unreal Engine for upcoming Halo projects. In a similar vein, Gearbox Publishing SF rebranded to Arc Games while remaining with Embracer after Gearbox was just acquired by Take-Two Interactive.
Often, a game itself will undergo a complete rebranding: IO Interactive combined its three Hitman reboot titles into Hitman: World of Assassination, which has since attracted 75 million global players after its recent title change.
About the Author
Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com
A native of Kansas City, MO, Justin Carter has written for various websites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his work can also be found at io9 on Gizmodo. Don’t ask him about how much gum he’s had, as the answer may exceed what he’s willing to confess.