Vampire Survivors Creator Launches Publishing Label Poncle Presents

Vampire Survivors Creator Launches Publishing Label Poncle Presents to Support Indie Developers

Luca Galante, the visionary behind the surprise indie hit Vampire Survivors, has officially expanded his studio, Poncle, with the launch of a new publishing division called Poncle Presents. Galante shared his excitement and the guiding philosophy behind this venture, expressing a desire to 'share his luck' and 'give back' to the independent game development community.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, Galante explained that the idea for a publishing arm emerged several months after Vampire Survivors' explosive success. As his team grew and responsibilities shifted, he found himself reflecting on the role of publishers in the industry, often observing practices he wished to avoid.

A New Vision for Publishing

Galante articulated his discomfort with certain industry trends, stating, 'I see a lot of publishers I don't like, and perhaps this is my way of defining what a good publisher should be.' He criticized companies that prioritize profit above all else, often releasing unfinished or broken Early Access titles only to abandon them if they don't immediately generate significant income.

'From my perspective, the job of a publisher is, first and foremost, to make honest games, genuine products that have value, and also to understand that not every project will be a hit,' Galante emphasized. He stressed the importance of unwavering post-release support, regardless of a game's commercial performance. 'Because once you release a game, you have an audience—big or small—and they deserve fair treatment. Therefore, post-launch support is an important thing that a publisher must provide.'

Supporting Indie Talent

Poncle Presents has already released two titles: Kill the Brickman, an arkanoid-style roguelike from Doonutsaur, and Berserk or Die, a hardcore 2D action game by Nao Games. While both have been well-received on Steam, Galante acknowledges they haven't achieved the same massive scale as Vampire Survivors, and he considers this entirely normal.

The Vampire Survivors creator admits a fondness for small, affordable projects and plans for Poncle Presents to focus on collaborating with compact teams. Their top priority is partnering with developers who maintain open communication with their community and possess a genuine passion for their craft.

Galante believes that a publisher's core mission is to 'help the developer realize their vision, enriching it, rather than forcing them to change direction only to make the game earn more money.' He voiced his idealistic stance against common publisher demands for seasonal events or microtransactions. 'So, perhaps I'm a bit of an idealist, but I definitely view the publishing business more as a way to make games, delight developers and gamers, rather than just as a business.'

Sharing Success and Experience

Galante also mentioned that Poncle has connected with Outersloth (publishers of Among Us) and Pocketpair Publishing (publishers of Palworld), as all three companies share a common goal of supporting the indie scene, albeit at different scales. 'Essentially, we were very lucky with Vampire Survivors,' Galante reflected. 'The game was so successful that, even though we made some mistakes during its release, we learned a lot and wanted to share that experience with other independent developers. It's our way of giving back to the indie community and sharing our luck.'

This new venture by Poncle Presents marks an exciting development for the indie game landscape, offering a fresh perspective on publisher-developer relationships and emphasizing genuine support over pure profit motives. Indie developers can now look to Poncle Presents as a potential partner committed to fostering creativity and integrity in game development.