Five independent game studios have announced the formation of a collaborative alliance dubbed "Nova Assembly." The organization aims to integrate R&D, marketing resources, and talent sharing to collectively address the layoffs and market instability currently plaguing the global gaming industry.
The founding members include Sad Cat Studios (developer ofReplaced), Unfrozen (developer ofHeroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era), as well as Weappy (This Is the Police), VEA Games, and Game Garden. While each studio will maintain its independence and will not be merging, they will share financial support and technical expertise through the alliance.
Building a Resource-Sharing Ecosystem
Denis Federov, CEO of Nova Assembly and founder of Unfrozen, stated that this structure allows five successful studios to share years of accumulated professional expertise. He noted that this collaborative model enables efficient, strategic resource allocation without compromising the creative independence of individual studios.
Ilya Yanovich, co-founder of Weappy and Creative Director of Nova Assembly, emphasized the importance of the "human element." He noted that in a market increasingly dominated by algorithms, alliance members hope to make decisions and share creative risks through direct human interaction and mutual support.
According to an open letter released by the group, one of Nova Assembly's core objectives is to establish an in-house publishing division. While the studios currently maintain existing partnerships, members hope to eventually take control of their own marketing and distribution, fostering closer, direct relationships with players.
Furthermore, the alliance will implement a mutual aid mechanism. If one team encounters a funding bottleneck during development, other teams can provide support, helping to avoid compromises in game quality made for the sake of short-term cash flow. On the technical front, the studios will share dialogue editors, optimization workflows, and specialized personnel, reducing their reliance on external consultants.
Several key titles from the alliance are set to launch soon. Sad Cat Studios'Replacedis scheduled for release on PC and Xbox on April 14, with a day-one debut on Game Pass. Unfrozen’sHeroes of Might & Magic: Olden Erais slated to enter Early Access on April 30.
