By Ray Pride Pride@moviecitynews.com

Annapurna Interactive Launches

Posted Thursday, December 1st, 2016 - Comments Off on Annapurna Interactive Launches
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[PR] Annapurna Pictures, the production company behind ZERO DARK THIRTY, HER, and SAUSAGE PARTY, has expanded its operations with the creation of Annapurna Interactive, a division entirely dedicated to producing and publishing video games. Annapurna Interactive will focus on developing personal, emotional, and original games that push the boundaries of interactive content and encourage artists to bring new visions to the medium.

Annapurna Interactive is set to publish two games targeting Spring 2017 release dates: Jason Roberts’Gorogoa and Giant Sparrow’s What Remains of Edith Finch.  Gorogoa, by Jason Roberts, is a beautifully hand-illustrated story suspended inside a puzzle with a unique mechanic where the player moves panels on a grid as though arranging framed drawings on a wall. What Remains of Edith Finch, developed by Giant Sparrow, is a playable collection of short stories, each with different art styles and gameplay mechanics centered around the cursed Finch family. 

As part of its growing portfolio, Annapurna Interactive will also release games from highly regarded industry talents, including San Francisco-based developer Funomena and Creative Director Keita Takahashi, creator of the Katamari Damacy franchise, and Mountains, which is led by Ken Wong, best known for his work onMonument Valley.

 

The new publisher will be run by a team of game veterans whose credits include Journey, God of War, Mortal Kombat, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, Flower, and Fat Princess.

 

“I’ve had a great passion for video games for as long as I can remember.  Growing up, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was one of my all-time favorites.  My brother and I ran up quite a bill calling the 1-900 numbers for tips on those games, before the internet provided game-guides. The artistry and diversity of interactive storytelling is exciting and we look forward to exploring the limitless possibilities in gaming.  We want to empower artists across this medium to make Annapurna Interactive their home and I believe we’ve assembled the perfect team to make that happen,” said Annapurna’s founder and CEO, Megan Ellison.

 

The Annapurna Interactive team added, “We believe video games have a powerful ability to stir emotion. We are excited by the opportunity to collaborate with the artists who inspire us in order to bring memorable experiences to all players, whether experienced or first-time gamers.”

 

Annapurna Interactive is located on the company’s campus in West Hollywood.

 

To learn more about Annapurna Interactive and to stay up to date on its upcoming releases, please visit annapurnainteractive.com.

 

ABOUT ANNAPURNA PICTURES

Annapurna Pictures, founded by Megan Ellison, focuses on creating sophisticated, high-quality content. Ellison successfully upholds the company’s vision to produce critically and commercially conscious projects which appeal to a diverse audience, allowing filmmakers and artists to create story content of all genres and mediums while preserving their authenticity. Annapurna’s most recent projects include, Mike Mills’ 20TH CENTURY WOMEN, starring Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig, and Billy Crudup, which will be released later this year by A24; Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon’s breakout animated film, SAUSAGE PARTY, written by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir and released by Sony Pictures, which had the highest-grossing opening weekend for an R-rated animated film in history; Ana Lily Amirpour’s THE BAD BATCH, which will be released by Screen Media in 2017; Todd Solondz’s WIENER-DOG; and Richard Linklater’s Gotham Award-nominated EVERYBODY WANTS SOME. Annapurna is also currently in post-production on Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal’s UNTITLED DETROIT PROJECT, starring John Boyega and is developing the film adaptation of Maria Semple’s WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE, to be directed by Richard Linklater. Annapurna’s projects since 2012 have earned thirty-one Academy Award nominations, and Ellison is one of only four honorees ever to receive two Best Picture nominations in the same year. Those projects include Kathryn Bigelow’s ZERO DARK THIRTY, David O. Russell’s JOY, Bennett Miller’s FOXCATCHER, David O. Russell’s AMERICAN HUSTLE, Spike Jonze’s HER, Wong Kar Wai’s THE GRANDMASTER, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s THE MASTER. Additionally, Annapurna is partners with Mark Boal on the company Page One, where they produce season two of the hit podcast SERIAL. Bigelow also directed and partnered with Annapurna on the animated short LAST DAYS, about illegal elephant poaching and the ivory trade.

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