Devolver Digital E3 Airstream
Image: Devolver Digital

Devolver Digital is one of the biggest 'Indie' video game publishers in the world, though in reality the company has been rubbing shoulders with traditional industry giants for a good while. It's much loved and admired for good reason, however, as it's become a huge success from download Indie-style releases. When you combine the company's brilliant marketing as a 'boutique game label' with its high bar in curating some of the best small games out there, it deserves immense credit.

The 'Indie' tag still given to Devolver Digital is becoming less relevant in terms of the size of the business, however. With some enormous hits like Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout alongside various cult classics, the company has developed a level of clout beyond most other similar publishers, aside from other non-triple-A heavyweights like Team17.

Maybe the company will be regarded more accurately as a publishing giant that happens to focus on smaller games, should reports of a planned IPO be accurate. As reported by The Telegraph (paywall), Devolver Digital has appointed bankers from Zeus Capital to prepare a public listing for later this year; this basically means that the company will join the London Stock Exchange and sell shares to the public. It'll stop being a private company and instead become a public shareholder company, in a similar manner to other big hitters like EA, Ubisoft, Nintendo and so on. An estimate doing the rounds is that the initial offering could raise a whopping £1 billion.

It's the natural progression for businesses that reach a certain size and significant levels of success and profit, and is certainly an achievement that showcases the value to be found in high-quality 'Indie' games that are given the backing to succeed.

In any case, it'll be a big move should it go through by the end of the year, and will signify a new era for one of gaming's most recognisable brands.

[source telegraph.co.uk, via gamesindustry.biz]