Instinct3 Launches Full-Service Game Publisher Sidekick
– 2 min read
Berlin-based creative agency Instinct3 has announced the launch of Sidekick Publishing, a new full-service publisher for indie and A to AA studios. The first title to be published under the Sidekick banner is Deadly Days: Roadtrip, developed by Pixelsplit and set to be showcased at gamescom.
Instinct3 has already been a co-publisher for various games, including 9 Kings (which sold 500,000 copies in its first six weeks of Early Access) with Hooded Horse; Asgard's Fall - Viking Survivors with Assemble Entertainment; and TerraScape with Stray Fawn Publishing. Now, the Berlin-based creative agency has announced the launch of Sidekick Publishing, a new full-service publisher for indie and A to AA studios. Its first title under the Sidekick Publishing name is Deadly Days: Roadtrip, developed by Pixelsplit, is set to be showcased at gamescom.
Sidekick was created to fill a gap in the competitive publishing landscape by combining global publishing expertise with Instinct3's knowledge of creator-driven marketing, storytelling, and community building. Their aim is straightforward: "a sidekick supports the hero and makes the journey unforgettable and the hero is always the developer and the game itself. Sidekick Publishing is here to help developers succeed, shine and reach the audience they deserve." This new venture is part of Instinct3's holding group, Gute Gesellschaft, and is headed up by industry veterans Jasmin Oestreicher and Melvin Frank.
Jasmin Oestreicher, CEO Instinct3 & Co-CEO and Co-Founder Sidekick Publishing: "After ten years in publishing and marketing and the past four years at our agency, serving as Managing Director since 2024, I know how valuable experience can be. But I also know how quickly you can lose touch if you rely too much on the past. Especially with a gaming audience that is highly sensitive to inauthentic or overly commercial content, what matters are bold ideas, local sensitivity, and creators who work for lasting impact, not just quick profit."
Melvin Frank, Co-CEO & Co-Founder Sidekick Publishing: "Over the past year, we've worked on a variety of releases - each one teaching us something new about what works, what connects, and what lasts for our concept. Sidekick is our way of taking all those lessons, combining them with our unique creator and community expertise, and raising the bar for how we support indie developers. The goals are simple: focus on games that resonate well with our approach and make every next launch our best one yet."
Drawing on years of experience at the intersection of gaming, entertainment and brand creation - from Eintracht Spandau's European Masters win to lifestyle brands such as Knabe Malz and Corrupted Blood - Sidekick Publishing was born. The company also created the I3 Indie Expo, a showcase event that brings developers, players and creators together.
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