GameStop, the authoritative online gaming retailer, is moving up to the big leagues by getting into the gaming publishing business, too.
Taking a cue from its brandname, GameStop's newest foray into video games publishing will be called GameTrust.
The company says an adventure game called Song of the Deep, made by gaming studio Insomniac (which also created the popular Ratchet and Clank's series), will be its first release under the new label.
There's more in the pipeline, as well. GameTrust is also partnering up with other studios such as Ready at Dawn, Frozenbyte, and Tequila Works. What games they'll be making are yet unannounced, however.
Moreover, the company's move into publishing games isn't one of the traditional routes either. Rather, GameTrust will keep out of the creative process of making a game. It says it'll leave that up to indie developers.
And that's the market GameTrust is focusing on. It won't be competing with big name publishers like Electronic Arts and Activision Blizzard. Instead, the company will be supporting indie developers making games in the $15 to $40 price range (in contrast to the $60 and above asking price for Triple-A blockbuster titles).
"We think we can address a hole in the market," says Mark Stanley, the vice president of internal development and diversification at GameStop. "We continue to hear from our core gamer base that there is a need for more independent games. Its sole focus is to bring great independent titles to our stores and the world through physical distribution."
Games published by GameTrust will be getting special shelf space at GameStop stores, and will also be released on a number of popular digital storefronts such as Steam, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, the eShop, and a few others. As a result, GameTrust (and GameStop) will not be holding exclusive rights to any of the games it publishes.
GameStop started off in the business of buying and selling new and used video games and consoles, but as that market continued to shrink, the company had to branch out into other complementary businesses. Aside from launching GameTrust, GameStop has also bought retailer ThinkGeek and even AT&T's wireless retail chain, Spring Mobile.
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