Devolver Digital Launches Big Fan Label for Licensed Indie Games

New Platform for Bringing IPs to Indie

Devolver Digital Announces New Label for Indie Devs

Big Fan Aims to Bring Indie Magic to Classic Franchises

Devolver Digital, known for creating iconic series such as Shadow Warrior, The Talos Principle, and Serious Sam, has unveiled its newest initiative, Big Fan, a dedicated publishing label designed to license existing IPs for indie game development. This new label aims to give indie developers access to already established games or series and allows them to put their own spin on popular franchises. Big Fan opens the doors for indie creators to reinterpret, reimagine and improve games that were popular once but are now dormant.

What Does Big Fan Mean for Indie Devs?

Reimagining Licensed IPs for the Gaming Industry

Big Fan represents a bold move for Devolver Digital by offering a space where already established games can be licensed to indie developers who will give a new life and definition to them through their creative vision. While the indie scene is often celebrated for its originality, Big Fan gives indie developers a chance to work their magic on franchises that have established their own fanbases.

Indie Devs Find Budget and Opportunities

In a press release, Devolver Digital said that the goal of Big Fan is “helping independent game developers breathe new life into their favorite movies, comics, TV shows, and cult heroes through the power of video games.” By offering access to established franchises, the label aims to level the playing field for indie developers who otherwise wouldn’t have the budget, manpower, or even just the opportunity to work with any licensed content.

What Does the Arrival of Big Fan Mean for Indie Gamers?

Fresh Takes on Classic Franchises

For players, the launch of Big Fan can offer the chance to see their favorite IPs in a new light. Indie developers are well known for their innovation, and Big Fan opens the doors to possibilities that major studios might overlook. Imagine an indie developer working with a beloved but dormant game like Earthworm Jim (1994). While the original was a fast-paced platformer, a creative indie studio might reinterpret it as a funny, story-driven, puzzle-based 3D adventure game.

Big Fan Knows What You’re Thinking About Indie and Triple A Collab

Big Fan is aware of the stigma surrounding indie developers collaborating with big budget, triple A studios, and shares in a press release that the “goal at Big Fan is to nurture fun and inventive games that stand on their own, rather than serving as marketing tie-ins for other media launches.”

With the launch of Big Fan, Devolver Digital may have a chance to redefine how indie games are perceived in relation to larger IPs. As of writing, Devolver Digital has not yet announced any specific titles under the Big Fan label.