New publishing label Knights Peak has already snapped up some fan-favourite games

The business side of video games is pretty grim right now. The unprecedented levels of layoffs, studio closures, developer downsizing, and the lack of funding many teams currently have to contend with all paint a worrying picture of our favourite medium.

But as we continue to highlight the brutal cuts across the industry, it’s also worth lifting up those who decide to take a gamble and enter the business at what might be the industry’s most uncertain time ever.

In this case, that’s Knights Peak.

Knights Peak is a new label specialising in publishing premium (paid) games from a range of small and double-A teams. The new publisher comes from My.Games, the company behind many free-to-play titles, such as Warface, Hawked, Conqueror’s Blade and others.

Knights Peak's leadership is made up of industry veterans from Deep Silver, Sony, Gearbox, the Embracer Group and others. The division’s starting slate is fairly small, with only five titles. Some games are already available to play, while others have been floating around in various stages for a while.

During a press event attended by VG247, the publisher introduced its diverse launch portfolio, teasing even more to be announced at a later date. The initial salvo includes Starship Troopers: Extermination, Nikoderiko: The Magical World, Mandragora, Pathfinder: Kingmaker, and Blast Brigade.

Knights Peak is helping Offworld bring Starship Troopers: Extermination to consoles, as the game prepares for a transition out of Steam Early Access later this year. Extermination has an active player base, and is getting major new feature soon.

Nikoderiko is a whimsical platformer that can be played solo, or in co-op (both locally and online). The game has a clever, curved side-scrolling presentation, with 3D chase sequences inspired by Crash Bandicoot. Legendary composer David Wise is creating the music. The game is coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch this summer.

Mandragora is another game you may have seen or heard of before. The 2.5D side-scrolling RPG comes from Primal Game Studio, a small team in Hungary. The action game mixes metroidvania exploration with Soulslike combat, presenting two parallel worlds you can explore with any of its six classes. Vampire: The Masquerade’s Brian Mitsoda created the game’s narrative, so expect branching stories and alternate endings.

Mandragora was initially set to be published by Marvelous Games Europe, but the publishing rights have since been picked up by Knights Peak. Mandragora is due out later this year for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker, and Blast Brigade are two other games you can play right now, of course, which Knights Peak is referring to as its back catalogue. Both games were previously published by My.Games proper, before the new label’s founding.

Fans of Owlcat Games’ isometric RPG will be happy to also learn that the studio is working on Pathfinder Kingmaker: Enhanced Edition, which is set to arrive this month, with an Amazon Luna release due later in the year.