Versus Evil Veterans Forms New Publisher Digital Bandidos
– 2 min read
Steve Escalante and Lance James have launched a new full-service publishing company, Digital Bandidos, dedicated to indie game projects with budgets of up to three million US dollars. They have created a funding model that addresses the challenges faced by small development teams.
Digital Bandidos is a new video game publisher founded by industry veterans Steve Escalante and Lance James, who hail from Versus Evil. The Bandidos' focus is clear: indie developers - with a primary focus on PC and console titles with development budgets of up to three million US dollars, specialising in the role-playing, strategy and action genres. As a full-service publisher, they will offer expertise in management, marketing, production, community and business development.
"I've spent the first half of 2024 talking with studios in North America and Europe about the challenges they face in today's market," said Steve Escalante, CEO of Digital Bandidos. "The message is clear: they need good partners, funding, expertise in publishing, and help to bring their products to fruition. That means continuing the journey I started over ten years ago of championing the indie game developer. We have even better tools, more experience, a proven track record, and an amazing team. We couldn't be happier with the direction we are headed in and are incredibly excited about the future of Digital Bandidos."
Digital Bandidos has launched a funding model to address the challenges faced by small development teams. "This model offers small acquisition-type buyouts of existing games, providing indie teams with a flexible funding option, whether funding their next project, taking a well-deserved break, or simply stepping away. Furthermore, a sliding scale of investment funds, ranging from long-term full-service funding to smaller-scale finishing funds and funds for specific projects like porting or marketing, is designed to help indie teams achieve their goals," Digital Bandidos says.
The first publishing partners have also been announced. Town of Salem and Town of Salem 2 from BlankMediaGames. "The Bandidos are huge fans and have committed to growing each game on their existing platforms, adding more content, and expanding them to new platforms, including launching Town of Salem 2 on mobile devices soon!" Soulstone Survivors from Game Smithing Limited is their second publishing deal. "Selling nearly one million units in Early Access with a 90% positive score on Steam, Digital Bandidos as its new publisher, will bring this hit action roguelite created by Game Smithing Limited to new platforms and distribution channels."
Steve Escalante is the CEO of Digital Bandidos. His journey began at an indie studio before taking on various roles, including a key position at ZeniMax. In 2013, he founded Versus Evil (The Banner Saga franchise, Pillars of Eternity 2, UnMetal). In 2017, he also founded Red Cerberus, a quality assurance, testing, localisation and porting studio based in Brazil, which he grew to over 350 employees. Lance James is the co-founder of Digital Bandidos. He has worked on titles such as The Banner Saga, Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, Guild of Dungeoneering, Defiance, UnMetal.
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