Three UK industry veterans have founded a brand new indie publisher called The CoLab. 

The venture has been started by Darren Newnham, Mark Faulkner and John Lewis; Newnham previously worked at United Label, Fnatic and Disney Interactive, while Faulker has spent stints at Jagex, PlayFusion and Bossa across his career. Finally, Lewis is a veteran of Codemasters and Criterion. 

The CoLab has three projects in its stable already; a cosy title codenamed Campfire, cyberpunk shooter DeadWire and strategy game Counter Clash. The publisher has also partnered with charity Safe in Our World to apparently put an emphasis on the mental wellbeing of workers in the games industry. The CoLab says that it wants to provide support to indie developers in a dark time for the industry.  

“It’s time for a rebellion. We stand for cooperation and collaboration in an industry that desperately needs it," CEO Newnham said. 

"Recent trends, such as mass redundancies driven by ‘greedflation’, have underscored the need for a paradigm shift. Publishers often prioritise shareholder value over the needs of gamers, leading to a cycle of unfinished games released at inflated prices, while developers have faced challenges including cancellations, unpaid work, and even loss of intellectual property.

“The CoLab’s aim is to help effect change with a counter revolution in vision. We unite innovative game creators, share resources, and empower developers to thrive in a highly competitive market. Our goal is to make every developer who joins The CoLab an integral part of our collective, fostering a supportive environment that promotes long-term relationships and rewarding returns.”