Good Shepherd Entertainment

Good Shepherd Entertainment (formerly Gambitious Digital Entertainment) is a Dutch video game publisher based in Amsterdam. The company was founded in 2011 by Mike Wilson, Harry Miller, Paul Hanraets and Andy Payne, and opened its equity crowdfunding platform in September 2012. Gambitious' publishing label was opened in 2014 to offer developer-friendly publishing services to ensure a timely financial return for both investors and developers of their projects. In August 2017, Gambitious Digital Entertainment was rebranded Good Shepherd Entertainment whereas they ceased their crowdfunding activities and fully transitioned into being a publisher. Having been a consultant to the company prior, Brian Grigsby now became the CEO of the company[1].

Good Shepherd Entertainment
Formerly
Gambitious Digital Entertainment (2011–2017)
IndustryVideo games
Founded2011 (2011)
Founders
HeadquartersSaturnusstraat 14 – 2516 AH,
Den Haag
,
Netherlands
Number of locations
2 offices (2012)
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
OwnerDevolver Digital (majority)
Number of employees
12 (2017)
Websitegoodshepherd.games

History

Foundation (2011–2012)
Former Gambitious Digital Entertainment logo, used 2011–2017

Gambitious Digital Entertainment was established in 2011, and founded by Mike Wilson, Harry Miller, Paul Hanraets and Andy Payne.[2][3] Additional funding was provided by business funding platform Symbid.[4] The company and its crowdfunding platform, also called Gambitious, were formally announced in February 2012.[5][6] By June 2012, the company was headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, with another office in Austin, Texas, United States.[2][7] Video game publisher Devolver Digital, which was also co-founded by Wilson and Miller, owned the majority of Gambitious.[3]

Crowdfunding (2012–2013)

Gambitious' crowdfunding platform was opened on 25 September 2012.[8] The platform was described as a hybrid crowd-finance platform and indie publishing label.[9] The first product featured on Gambitious' platform was to be a sequel to Mushroom Men.[10]The first game featured became Train Fever instead.

It is said to have been the first of its kind, enabling both large and small investors to invest in various different game projects in exchange for an equity stake in the project, thus netting their own share of the profits garnered from the venture, as opposed to acting solely as a donator. They did this, in part, as a reaction to the surge of crowdfunding services, stating that "[c]rowdfunding is causing a great seismic shift in how projects get funded, however, there are risks of crash-and-burn due to unfulfilled projects and unfinished games." They aimed to create a platform specifically for the gaming industry, offering their knowledge of publishing, marketing, and games production to help smaller creators fund their games, while also managing development.[8] When a game is accepted, Gambitious guarantees the funding then invites new investors to support the project.[2]

According to Wilson, the idea behind the company was to create "a platform that brings investors and developers together to create great games to their mutual benefit".[11] In March 2013, Gambitious successfully closed their first equity-based crowdfunding campaign for Train Fever, which raised €250,000 from 640 international investors.

Gambitious also experimented by offering pledging as a funding option on their platform. This resulted in a successful funding for charity SpecialEffect, which raised 113% of it target aimed towards purchasing specialised computers for severely disabled gamers that can be controlled using eye movement.[12]

Changes to crowdfunding (2015–2017)

Due to international regulatory differences on the topic of equity-based crowdfunding, Gambitious was forced to restructure their model several times, leading to the eventual decision to officially separate from Symbid in February 2015 and transition into an independent game publisher. Between 2015 and 2017 Gambitious utilises an evolving set of crowd finance tools and techniques in order to fund their games. Whereby they rely on a private network of investors who invest alongside them under the same exact terms and conditions. In January 2016, Gambitious opened their network to new United States accredited and European investors. On 16 August 2017, Gambitious was rebranded as Good Shepherd Entertainment.[13] and transitioned from a crowdfunding platform to a publisher collaborating with a private network of accredited[14] investors upon request. The company also received a new investment by Advance/Newhouse, through which they opened new full-time positions.[13] At this time, the company had 12 employees.[13]

Indie game publishing (2013–2020)

Every game that Gambitious has signed on has been funded and released, with four of the first six titles delivering profits to investors in the first month following release.[15] Gambitious' Director Of Corporate Development, Paul Hanraets, stated that they only accept projects that they as a team are excited about, and therefore have vetted and signed as a publisher. Furthermore, he added that they guarantee the project funding, lead the financing, and raise money from their growing investor network. He adds that they now have a core group of 30 investors who are eager to invest in all the new projects probably also because four of their first six titles returned a profit within the first month of sales. And finally, Hanraets stated that they are now allowing their investor network to grow so they can greenlight more titles.[16]

After the funds are raised, the team provides support for both investors and developers, protecting the interests of everyone involved, with a flexible and realistic approach. They also maintain that they allow the developers to handle all creative decisions. Additionally, Hanraets underlines that developers have the final say in everything they do.[16]

In 2019, Good Shepherd Entertainment partnered with Lionsgate Games and announced John Wick Hex.[17] Paul Hanraets stated that Good Shepherd intends to focus on triple-I games and similar licence-holder collaborations[1]. According to Hanraets, the company has access to popular pop-culture IPs like John Wick, which it will pair with experienced indie developers.

In April 2019, Good Shepherd Entertainment acquired a majority stake in Artificer, a Warsaw based game development studio founded by the core team responsible for Hard West and Phantom Doctrine.[18] Artificer consists of over 30 team-members who have previously worked on numerous titles including the Call of Juarez and the Dead Island series. Details on Artificer’s first project will be released soon, and Good Shepherd will reveal details on its new game title in May 2020.

Games published
Year of release Title Developer(s) Platform(s)
2014 Train Fever Urban Games Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
2015 Magnetic: Cage Closed Guru Games Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
Breach & Clear: Deadline
Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
Xeodrifter Renegade Kid Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita
Pathologic Classic HD Ice-Pick Lodge Microsoft Windows
Hard West CreativeForge Games Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
Oh...Sir! Vile Monarch iOS, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
2016 Hard Reset Redux Flying Wild Hog Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Crush Your Enemies Vile Monarch Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
Zombie Night Terror NoClip Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
RunGunJumpGun ThirtyThree macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
Oh...Sir!! The Insult Simulator Vile Monarch Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
Transport Fever Urban Games Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
2017 Diluvion Arachnid Games macOS, Microsoft Windows
Oh...Sir! The Hollywood Roast Vile Monarch Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
Redeemer Sobaka Studio Microsoft Windows
2018 Where the Water Tastes Like Wine Dim Bulb Games Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
MachiaVillain WildFactor Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
Milanoir Italo Games Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Semblance Nyamakop macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
Phantom Doctrine CreativeForge Games Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
2019 John Wick Hex Bithell Games macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4
Black Future '88 Super Scary Snakes macOS, Microsoft Windows
Transport Fever 2 Urban Games Linux, Microsoft Windows
2020 Monster Train Shiny Shoe Microsoft Windows
OlliOlli Switch Stance Roll7 Nintendo Switch
TBA Outreach Pixel Spill macOS, Microsoft Windows

Games re-released
Year of re-release Year of original release Title Developer(s) Platform(s)
2015 2014 Breach & Clear Mighty Rabbit Studios Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows
2013 Mutant Mudds Deluxe Renegade Kid Microsoft Windows
2014 Xeodrifter Renegade Kid Microsoft Windows
2011 Hard Reset Flying Wild Hog Microsoft Windows
gollark: I joined a singleplayer world, and it is STILL stuck?
gollark: Okay, so it loads veeeery slowly.
gollark: Probably not. I can try singleplayer.
gollark: Probably. Anyway, it appears to be very stÜck when joining your world, then just hit a timeout or something.
gollark: It was CN-derived.

References
  1. Handrahaan, Matthew (10 July 2018). "Good Shepherd eyes growth through "bigger investments with bigger titles"". GamesIndustry.
  2. Takahashi, Dean (27 January 2016). "Gambitious resurfaces with profitable titles and a new way to invest in games". VentureBeat.
  3. Osborn, George (13 September 2016). "A Gambitious Proposal?". GamesIndustry.biz.
  4. Curtis, Tom (5 June 2012). "New crowdfunding service offers a game-focused twist on the Kickstarter formula". Gamasutra.
  5. Rose, Mike (14 February 2012). "Equity-based crowdfunding platform Gambitious launching next month". Gamasutra.
  6. Weber, Rachel (14 February 2012). "New equity based crowdfunding platform to launch". GamesIndustry.biz.
  7. Takahashi, Dean (4 June 2012). "Gambitious creates crowdfunding just for games". VentureBeat.
  8. Weber, Rachel (25 September 2012). "New crowdfunding platform Gambitious launches". GamesIndustry.biz.
  9. Hall, Charlie (6 February 2017). "Crowdfunding for video games was way down in 2016". Polygon.
  10. Cook, Dave (25 September 2012). "Gambitious: Mushroom Men sequel is first featured crowd-fund project". VG247.
  11. Couture, Joel (3 February 2016). "Mike Wilson explains Gambitious' plans for funding indie devs". Gamasutra.
  12. Pearson, Dan (13 September 2013). "Special Effect launches crowdfunding drive". GamesIndustry.biz.
  13. Hall, Charlie (16 August 2017). "Investment platform Gambitious is now called Good Shepherd Entertainment". Polygon.
  14. Cronin, Audrey (5 September 2017). "Game Investment Platform & Publisher Good Shepherd Entertainment Reports Strong Investor Returns". Business Wire.
  15. Weber, Rachel (29 January 2016). "Gambitious: 3 years, 6 successful projects". GamesIndustry.biz.
  16. Batchelor, James (10 February 2016). "Gambitious on the secrets of crowdfunding success". MCV.
  17. Brief, Staff (30 May 2019). "Good Shepherd, Lionsgate Launch 'John Wick Hex' Video Game". The Daily Brief.
  18. "GOOD SHEPHERD ENTERTAINMENT TAKES MAJORITY STAKE IN AMBITIOUS NEW DEVELOPMENT STUDIO, ARTIFICER". Gamasutra. 4 October 2019.
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