Bloomberg has reported that the entire staff of Annapurna Interactive, the gaming division of Megan Ellison’s Annapurna, has resigned after failing to convince Ellison to let them spin off its games division to a new company. IGN confirms the report.
“All 25 members of the Annapurna Interactive team have resigned collectively,” said former president Nathan Gary and staff. Bloomberg. “This is one of the most difficult decisions we have had to make and we have not taken this action lightly.”
An Annapurna spokesperson said Bloomberg that existing games and projects will remain under the company. Annapurna did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Verge.
last week, The Hollywood Reporter said Gary and Annapurna Interactive coheads Deborah Mars and Nathan Vella are leaving. THR Annapurna also reportedly planned to “merge its in-house gaming operations with Annapurna’s other divisions, which include film, TV and theater.” Hector Sanchez, who most recently led the Unreal Engine games business at Epic Games and an Annapurna Interactive cofounder, announced last month that he will become president of interactive and new media at Annapurna.
Annapurna Pictures, the film arm of the company, has won countless awards for various films, including him, American Hustleand Zero Dark Thirty, and the company just expanded its ambitions with its hot video game publishing streak.
This year, Annapurna Interactive was published Lorelei and the Laser Eyes and Open the Roads; Upcoming games include self-developed Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth as well Ghost Bike and Wanderstop.
Update, September 12th: Gary’s further statement on Bloomberg about how all 25 staff resigned.
