Yellow Brick Games splits from Private Division to self-publish debut game

Indie developer Yellow Brick Games is set to reveal its upcoming project, which it'll also be self-publishing.

Originally, the studio's debut title was meant to be released by Private Division following a deal struck in 2022. But Yellow Brick has opted to "take control" of its unannounced game, which is expected to release in 2025.

Yellow Brick was founded in 2020 by Ubisoft and EA veterans Thomas Giroux, Mike Laidlaw, Frédéric St-Laurent B., and Jeff Skalski. Following its original Private Division deal, it expanded enough to open a Montreal office alongside its main in Quebec.

"Self-publishing is a leap of faith, especially in the current turbulent industry climate," wrote Laidlaw. "But it’s also an opportunity to take our destiny into our own hands and reach out directly to players and the wider gaming community during this release."

"The player experience will always be our primary indicator of success," added Giroux. "We now fully control our studios' ambitions, and the scope of our game remains unchanged."

The importance of self-publishing

Developers like Quantic Dream have previously switched to self-publishing. Primarily, it's advocated as a more surefire way for studios to have a better chance of deciding their future.

The promise of greater control is enticing to many studios in this day and age, particularly those headed up by established studios. But not every studio is putting all their eggs in self-publishing: some, like People Can Fly, work with bigger publishers so other projects can get out the door.

Yellow Brick's press release notes it's in a "strong position" to release a project that meets its initial ambitions in 2020. That game will be revealed next week on April 2.