Delaying a video game is never an easy decision, but sometimes it’s necessary. Not all publishers are happy about it, as they often need to stick to a strict release schedule.
Fortunately, there are companies that don’t see it as a big problem — one example is Hooded Horse, best known as the publisher of Against the Storm and Manor Lords.
Hooded Horse’s Philosophy on Game Development
“Part of the Hooded Horse ethos is making sure games are ready when they launch,” said Snow Rui, President and CFO of Hooded Horse (thanks GamesRadar). “We’re very delay-friendly – we don’t ever want to push a game out too early. So early on, I defined part of our strategy where operating costs can be covered by our back catalog. Since the strategy games we publish tend to have long tails, ongoing sales of released games tend to be sustained and we can build on top of that.”
Manor Lords, with its medieval village setting, is one of Hooded Horse’s most well-known titles.
Building a Sustainable and Independent Company
Of course, these might sound like good PR statements, but Rui emphasizes that this approach is key to maintaining the company’s long-term sustainability. Rui and her husband, Tim Bender (CEO of Hooded Horse), have designed a business plan that avoids both acquisitions and going public.
“We want to stay private, profitable, and sustainable,” Rui explained.
“Tim and I are very independent, so the idea of running a public company was never appealing to us,” she continued. “I think we’re very aligned in what motivates us and we want to provide a kind of stability in the creative industry where stability is so rare. Many of our hires from the industry had experienced pushing games out too early and the consequences of that, so our vision of supporting developers and allowing them to focus on the game instead of worrying about cash flow resonates with them.”
This approach has clearly paid off with Manor Lords, which achieved major success.
