Rebellion brothers back new UK publisher Ant Games

Rebellion's Jason and Chris Kingsley are putting their weight behind a new UK publisher, Ant Games, to be headed up by former MicroProse MD Stewart Bell.

According to filings at Companies House, the Kingsley's are directors of the company, while Bell takes the role of operations director.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Bell was bullish about future growth, suggesting a number of big deals are due to be signed off shortly.

"With the product coming we can compete with almost anybody at retail. We've got some very significant licenses and and quality boxed product which we will have in the channel next year."

Ant Games are the European partner for the release of Icarus Studios' Fallen Earth: Blood Sport, which "has had a development budget of over $25 million" according to Bell. The company has also struck a deal with Bill Stealey's Thriller New Media for four titles beginning with Warbirds: Dogfights.

Ant Games will be a multiformat publisher, and Bell told GamesIndustry.biz that it's not just going the traditional retail route to market – it has already signed digital distribution deals with 12 online partners.

"We're selling across Europe," he said. "We're on 12 digital sites which will go live in the next few days and there are others where we're just crossing the T's on contracts."

The business has been in the planning stages for over a year, and Bell is confident a selective portfolio of quality product will help the publisher compete with established names at retail.

"For the past year or so we've been working at putting together the right portfolio and the right range of products and for about a year now we've been beavering away and getting everything in place," offered Bell.

"The main reason for that is the time seems right, there's some stunning and exciting products coming along. We're mid-cycle so we can do well with the few exciting products that are out there."