Secret Mode announces multi title partnership with Sumo Digital and Auroch Digital
Secret Mode announces multi title partnership with Sumo Digital and Auroch Digital
· Mars Horizon 2: The Search for Life from Auroch Digital the first title revealed as part of this strategy
· New IPs spanning multiple genres in development at Sumo Digital studios including Sumo Leamington and Lab42
· Ed Blincoe joins Secret Mode as Vice President of Publishing and James Schall moves to Vice President of Publishing Strategy
Leamington Spa, UK – 7 March 2023. Secret Mode, the UK publishing wing of the award-winning Sumo Group Ltd., has announced its intent to publish multiple new titles developed by studios within the Group, Auroch Digital and Sumo Digital.
Secret Mode is excited to confirm that work is underway with internal development studios on a range of titles spanning original and existing IP, multiple genres, and all major formats. Mars Horizon 2: The Search for Life, from renowned developer Auroch Digital, was unveiled today as the first title in this strategy.
In addition to this news, the debut title from Sumo Leamington, new IP from Lab42, and further projects will be announced in partnership with Secret Mode later in 2023. While Secret Mode has previously acquired the publishing rights for existing titles within Sumo Digital’s catalogue, including The Chinese Room’s multi-award winning games Little Orpheus and Dear Esther, today’s news marks the start of Secret Mode’s partnership with the wider Sumo Group development studios on entirely new projects.
Overseeing this strategy is Ed Blincoe (He/Him/His), who moves from his Studio Director role at Lab42 to join Secret Mode as Vice President of Publishing. Former Director of Publishing James Schall (He/Him/His) has begun an expanded role as Secret Mode’s Vice President of Publishing Strategy.
“Two years ago this week, Secret Mode was founded on a pledge to publish great games not just from external indie studios, but from Sumo Group’s award-winning development teams,” says Ed Blincoe. “As we begin our third year of operations, we are working closer than ever with our internal studios. The announcement of Mars Horizon 2: The Search for Life from Auroch Digital is the perfect way to underline Secret Mode’s commitment to publishing exceptional titles from studios within Sumo Group. We are also tremendously excited to partner with the teams at Sumo Leamington and Lab42 on highly innovative titles and look forward to revealing more later this year.”
Today’s news is complementary to Secret Mode’s existing commitment to external indie developer partnerships, which have driven extraordinary critical and commercial success over the past twelve months. Future content announcements are planned this year for some of Secret Mode’s most successful indie titles, including A Little to the Left from Max Inferno, Wobbledogs from Animal Uprising, Eternal Threads from Cosmonaut Studios, and Turbo Golf Racing from Hugecalf Studios. Further major game reveals are coming from indie studios such as Billy Goat Entertainment. Third party independent game developers remain a core part of Secret Mode’s future, and Secret Mode is more focused than ever on working with new external indie teams exploring the frontier of gaming innovation.
Please stay tuned for more information on Mars Horizon 2: The Search for Life from Auroch Digital, plus new IP announcements from Secret Mode and Sumo Group development studios later in 2023.
