Banner Saga publisher Versus Evil sets up shop

Independent developers more interested in making games than handling the logistics of self-publishing have another option today, as indie publisher Versus Evil officially opened its doors to the world.

Though the Austin-based company is the newest outfit to throw its hat into the indie publishing ring, Versus Evil already claims some high-profile clients from the Texas capital's local development scene. The upstart publisher is handling Stoic's Kickstarted sensation The Banner Saga, and is also working with Red Fly Studios (Elenints, Mushroom Men) on an as-yet unannounced title.

The Versus Evil team is led by general manager Steve Escalante, who previously worked as marketing director at Zenimax Online Studios and Bethesda Softworks. Joining him in getting the company off the ground are a pair of Trion Worlds veterans, marketing director Georgina Verdon and community director Lance James. Verdon was the global brand manager on Defiance and End of Nations, while James handled community management on a variety of the company's titles before joining the End of Nations team as an associate producer.

The company is pitching its services on the marketing, PR, product strategy, and distribution front, but seems determined to be hands-off when it comes to the actual development of the game.

"Our mission is to make development teams independently successful by offering them our expertise in marketing, social media, community management, advertising, business development and distribution," Escalante said. "We are not in this business to take over a game's creative direction or vision. We are here to work with each studio in a very transparent, open relationship and focus on the business needs of the studio so the dev teams can concentrate on making the games they love. This focus allows us to be a part in the creation of successful companies, not just successful products."