Starbreeze sells rights of new strategy game back to former Civ developer
Starbreeze is selling the 10 Crowns publishing rights back to Mohawk Games. That studio was set up by Soren Johnson, he was instrumental in the development of Civilization III and IV. Starbreeze needs the money for its reorganization.
The amount Starbreeze will receive for the sale of the publishing rights has not been disclosed. In addition to the sales amount, the publisher also expects to receive a refund of all costs incurred for the development. Starbreeze and developer Mohawk Games have reached an agreement.
Starbreeze bought the publishing rights for the new strategy game 10 Crowns last year and has since shared in the costs associated with the development. Starbreeze says he will eventually have money left over from the deal.
10 Crowns was announced as an “epic turn-based strategy game” last year. In the game, players should be able to build the ‘greatest dynasty in history’. It will be a 4X strategy game, which stands for explore, expand, exploit and exterminate. The game is being made by developer Mohawk Games, headed by Soren Johnson. He worked for Civilization developer Firaxis from 2000 to 2007.
Mohawk Games continues to develop the game and can now self-publish the game or look for another publisher. When 10 Crowns will be released, is not yet known. The studio is currently looking for testers for an alpha version of the game, according to a tweet from a Mohawk employee.
The sale of the publishing rights is part of a major reorganization at Starbreeze. The publisher is in financial trouble because it bet big on the flopped game Overkill’s The Walking Dead in recent years. That game has been in development since 2014 and came out in 2018. Far too few copies were sold to cover the costs. Skybound, the entertainment company that owns the rights to The Walking Dead, terminated its contract with Starbreeze. As a result, all further work on the game was halted and planned console versions were scrapped.
Concept art of 10 Crowns