Whitethorn Games, publisher of indie darlings such as Calico, Lake, and Wytchwood, is celebrating its 7-year anniversary with sales on everything from collectible pins to games across all platforms. (Links at the bottom.) I recently got the chance to ask Dr. Matthew White, CEO of Whitethorn Games a few questions about their longevity and their thoughts on indie development. Here is what they had to say.
We want to start off by saying congratulations on seven years. From Lake to RE:CALL, we have played and enjoyed quite a few of your games. What do you think has been key to your longevity as a publisher?
Dr. White: Thanks! I don’t think there’s really a big secret or anything. We’ve always been a brand that focuses on slower, more inclusive experiences for players that range from kids all the way up to parents. That market is strong and growing as the industry grows up, and I think that our staying power is just further evidence that this demographic is continuing to surge, and continuing to be underserved by the games industry as it stands. We’re happy to provide these kinds of experiences.
Over the course of seven years, you have published a variety of games. How do you choose what games to back in an ever-growing market? And has there been a game/studio you initially passed on but ended up working with in the end?
Dr. White: I like to think we’re just looking for different games than our competitors. There are tons of great games available right now, but our audience wants something very particular. We look for things that are accessible, destressing in some way, bite-sized, easy to approach, that kind of thing. You’ll see that consistency across our catalog, even if the genres don’t necessarily line up. I can’t say we initially passed on anyone that we’ve worked with, to be honest!
One thing that really separates Whitethorn Games from other publishers is your transparency. What informed the decision to share salary and revenue information so openly?
Dr. White: I come from a AAA background, and there’s a real black box between publishers and developers. In indie situations, the publisher often has considerable leverage over the developer in negotiations. We wanted to level the playing field so developers feel like they’re making their choices with the full and complete information and have some idea where their money is going.
What is the hardest obstacle to overcome when marketing a smaller-budget indie title?
Dr. White: Visibility. Always visibility. There are tons and tons of excellent games coming out every single day, and closing the gap between the game and the customer gets harder and harder with every new game, marketplace, and platform.
What’s the most inspiring thing you see in this generation of independent developers?
Dr. White: Boldness, weirdness, creativity. The indie space is absolutely stuffed to the brim with creative wacky ideas. Think about Viewfinder or Super Hot, for example — that kind of risky creativity is hard for massive studios who might have sunk millions of dollars into the production of the title. The indie scene always inspires me with creative, weird new games. I love watching the Nuovo Award at the IGF each year for this reason!
For any developers that will be reading this, what is the best advice you can give them when approaching a publisher?
Dr. White: Honestly, just a straight, honest approach with a build or video is the best thing you can do. We often get scatter-shot pitches with games that very much don’t match our vibe. It feels great when the developers take the time to learn a little bit about the publisher before they reach out. We’ll have to work together for a long time, so it feels good to know you think we’re a great fit. Reach out to hello@whitethorngames.com for those interested.
That’s it for the interview. Thank you to Dr. Matthew White for taking the time to answer our questions. Now for the discounts. As I said at the top, everything from merch to games is on sale recently to celebrate the anniversary so here are the links for some ongoing ones. From September 18 to October 8, all Whitethorn Games branded pins, including their popular “Games are for Everyone,” and cabin logo pins are all on sale for just $12 in their official store. There is also a sale on the Epic Game Store from October 2 to October 8 as well. Be sure to pick up the games and goodies while they’re at a discount. For a personal recommendation, I recently played and reviewed RE:CALL, and I definitely think it’s worth playing. Lake is also a cozy favorite among our team if you couldn’t tell by the 100% completion we have on Steam.
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