Dotemu is a name that'll be familiar to plenty of Switch gamers; the publisher has produced and supported some outstanding 'new retro' titles in recent years, either remastering classics or producing long-awaited sequels in dormant IPs alongside talented development partners. Examples include Streets of Rage 4 and Windjammers, while upcoming projects include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge.
The company's success evidently drew the attention of potential investors, with Focus Home Interactive today confirming that it has acquired a controlling stake of 77.5%. Focus Home Interactive has recently published notable multi-platform titles like A Plague Tale: Innocence, SnowRunner and Hood: Outlaws & Legends.
The announcement emphasizes that the move represents continual growth for both parties; on the part of Dotemu, Cyrille Imbert has stressed that the company will retain its independence in key areas.
Joining the Focus Home Interactive Group was an obvious choice for Dotemu. We share the same passion for video games, the same desire to improve, as well as the same values of respect and benevolence towards our partners and teams. While continuing its activities, this new collaboration will allow Dotemu to benefit from the incontestable expertise of Focus Home Interactive's teams for the production of AA titles and thus launch the production of future remakes or sequels on licenses of first-generation 3D consoles (the games of the early 2000s).
While retaining the editorial and strategic independence that has made it so successful, Dotemu will be able to give even greater ambition to its projects and give itself the means to broaden the range of services offered to studios, in order to guarantee the success of their productions on the retro label as well as on the publishing label The Arcade Crew. Therefore, Dotemu is ideally positioned to achieve its ambitious growth plan to triple its turnover in the medium term. My mission will also be to share Dotemu's expertise with Focus Home Interactive's teams, to select and convince talented teams to join the Group in order to build, together, a key player in the video game industry on a global scale.
For fans of Dotemu's output the line about benefits to future projects in remakes and sequels of 'first-generation 3D consoles' is sure to generate some excitement. And yes, we're still hoping that the recently announced Metal Slug Tactics will eventually make its way to Nintendo hardware.
Let us know what you think of this move, and what you hope to see in the future from Dotemu in particular.
[source focus-home.com]
Comments 27
So...they are going more AAA.
<Expletive deleted>
In otherwords, death by investor capital.
Well, at least we got Streets of Rage 4 out of it.
@GrailUK Focus are about as AA as you get. Lots of janky and visibly budget games from them.
@GrailUK Focus definitely aren't AAA. The most high profile thing they've probably done are some of the Warhammer games
Also should be mentioned DotEmu worked on the PS4, Switch and Xbox ports of Final Fantasy VII as well as Final Fantasy VIII Remastered and the Steam versions of the FFIII and IV remakes
That's good to hear. Those dreaded words of 'allowing greater ambition' sound like stuff the humble Switch might start to struggle with.
We now have our devs for future MM legends projects
Sounds like bizznizz to me 🤓
Isn't Focus the company Nintendo invested some more money into for some partnership recently?
@Paraka you are thinking of forever entertainment
Sweet, here's hoping we get more SoR content. I would like a fighting game based on the IP as it would be a perfect fit IMO
@drewber2635 Oh god no, horrible flashbacks of Final Fight Revenge!
@Leprecorn - Ah, okay, figured it was one of those midrange "F" publishers.
I've always been a little confused about what Dotemu does. Are they more of a developer or a publisher? A bit of both? Either way, I hope they continue to grow and put more energy behind interesting games. Patiently waiting for Wind Jammers 2 to drop.
Headline had me worried, but this is more two AA publishers joining forces than an indie team being swallowed by a giant.
As long as they can keep getting Lizard Cube cool vintage game licenses to work on, it’d be great
@judaspete Phew
Hopefully we get a release date on that TMNT game soon.
I don't get the impression that Dotemu is a developer, but more publishing. Guard Crush and Lizardcube made SOR4. Theoretically this shouldn't effect much in terms of end product. I would need to research this more, Dotemu is joining with another publisher. Hopefully this means more capacity to organize and oversee more games.
@Tedikuma I think publisher. I just looked up the article about SOR4's beginnings. They clearly have some influence on the end product. Generally speaking, producers usually organize, pay for, manage, test and market. They don't often get into the nuts and bolts of day to day design. That said the makeup of a company is everything. Nintendo produces and gets into the weeds of a lot of stuff they produce. Anyone's guess is as good as mine with Dotemu.
Can we please get a Golden Axe!!!!! If it’s anything like Streets Of Rage 4 that would be amazing!!!
"Focus Home Interactive". Could the name be more generic? 🙄
@GrailUK "Those dreaded words of 'allowing greater ambition' sound like stuff the humble Switch might start to struggle with."
It's not their fault the Switch can barely stand on its own two legs these days 😅
Both are French companies.
Focus Home Interactive has published 12 Switch games so far:
1. Call of Cthulhu
2. Vampyr
3. Othercide
4. Farming Simulator - Nintendo Switch Edition
5. Shady Part of Me
6. A Spintires Game - MudRunner: American Wilds
7. Masters of Anima
8. Farming Simulator 20
9. Curse of the Dead Gods
10. SnowRunner / SnowRunner - Premium Edition
11. Warhammer: Age of Sigmar - Storm Ground
12. A Plague Tale: Innocence - Cloud Version
And for DotEmu it's hard to say because some of their Switch games are published by other companys.
But hey, they brought us Final Fantasy 7, Wonder Boy, Ys Origins, and other classics!!
@Prizm Yeah, that's a valid point. But so far Dotemu brings their games to Switch and they are amazing. I know it's just PR speak and hyping the move, but 'more' ambition? What does that even mean lol?
As long as Dotemu keeps bringing games to Switch day and date with the other consoles then I don't have concerns about this move. Focus and Dotemu both put out plenty of games I've enjoyed.
I hope they make Golden Axe next or Kid Chameleon.
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