Twenty-Four Annapurna Interactive Staffers Resign As Plans To Spin Off Division Fall Apart

Twenty-four Annapurna Interactive staffers have left the company as plans for the Megan Ellison studio to spin off the division with the former department’s President Nathan Gary fell apart. The intent of the spinoff was to have Annapurna Interactive expanding further into large-budget games.

The Annapurna Interactive division remains operational, we hear, with some staffers in place. There are plans to staff backup. Last week, it was reported that Gary left the company along with Heads of Gaming, Deborah Mars and Nathan Vella. Hector Sanchez, who launched the division in 2016, promptly was named President of Interactive and New Media.

“Annapurna Interactive wouldn’t exist without Megan’s singular support of these stories, which weren’t being told anywhere else in gaming,” Sanchez said in a statement. “She saw something almost a decade ago that no other backer we talked to did. Every conversation we’ve had with our development partners this week has reinforced the decision to come back and work alongside Megan to support our artists and our entire existing slate of games.”

Annapurna boss Megan Ellison said in a statement obtained by Deadline: “Our top priority is continuing to support our developer and publishing partners during this transition. We’re committed to not only our existing slate of games but also expanding our presence in the interactive space as we continue to look for opportunities to take a more integrated approach to linear and interactive storytelling across film and TV, gaming and theater.” 

The library of Annapurna Interactive games include third-person cat adventure Stray, What Remains of Edith Finch, Outer Wilds, Silent Hill: Townfall and Neon White, among several others. Stray sold several millions of units in its first month of release as well as nabbing gaming awards.

Bloomberg first had the news about Annapurna Interactive staffers’ resignation.