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The founders of UK developer Splash Damage have launched a new publishing operation named WarChest, that will focus on releasing free, digitally distributed games.
“Gamers are well served by high-end console games, but sometimes over-charged by mid-tier titles, or under-served by low-quality free-to-play games that unfairly exploit the player.” said Richard Jolly, CCO of WarChest and Splash Damage co-founder. “We believe gamers deserve better, and that’s why WarChest is exclusively focused on publishing games that are triple-A and free.”
WarChest’s business model has been established wit a view to replace the overhead of boxed games, and create capacity to invest in higher production values, ‘white-hat’ telemetry and analytics to gauge player interest, and post-launch support.
“Gamers should be free to switch devices at will without leaving their favourite game universe and friends behind,” stated Paul Wedgwood, also a Splash Damage co-founder, and CEO of WarChest. “Our strategy delivers meaningful experiences that contribute to player engagement and advancement, irrespective of their physical location.
"For WarChest’s games, our goal is connectedness – you might battle your friends via your smartphone or tablet in a turn-based tactics game during your commute, connect with them on your PC once you’re home, sneak into their base in their absence while playing on your console, and then share cool technology with them from your desktop browser at work.”
Established by Wedgwood and Jolly, WarChest compliments their other ventures, Splash Damage and online operator Fireteam, forming what is being pitched as ‘a vertically integrated family of companies’, which can work together to fund, develop, and operate connected games.
The first WarChest-released game is Splash Damage’s own iOS turn-based combat title RAD Soldiers.
