Veterans from Disney, Jagex, and Codemasters Establish New Publishing Company, The CoLab

Three seasoned figures from the UK gaming industry have come together to launch The CoLab, a fresh indie publishing house with a promising vision.

Darren Newnham, Mark Faulkner, and John Lewis are the minds behind this new venture. Newnham brings experience from his time at United Label, Fnatic, and Disney Interactive. Faulkner has honed his skills at Jagex, PlayFusion, and Bossa throughout his career. On the other hand, Lewis comes with a wealth of knowledge from his work at Codemasters and Criterion.

The CoLab isn’t wasting any time, with three intriguing projects already lined up: a charming game under the working title Campfire, the cyberpunk shooter DeadWire, and a strategy game called Counter Clash. They’re also making strides by joining forces with the charity Safe in Our World to prioritize the mental health and wellbeing of those in the gaming industry. It’s a much-needed gesture in these challenging times for game developers.

Speaking passionately about The CoLab’s mission, CEO Newnham stated, “It’s time for a rebellion. Cooperation and collaboration are what our industry needs right now.”

He went on to highlight current issues like “greedflation” leading to rampant layoffs, which he believes calls for a significant change. Publishers often focus more on satisfying shareholders than on the needs of gamers, leading to incomplete games sold at high prices. Meanwhile, developers are left grappling with challenges like sudden project cancellations, unpaid work, and losing their intellectual property rights.

“Our ambition at The CoLab is to drive change with a counter-revolutionary approach,” Newnham explained. “By bringing together innovative game creators, sharing valuable resources, and empowering developers, we aim to help them flourish in a fiercely competitive market. We want every developer who partners with The CoLab to feel like they’re an essential part of our team, fostering an environment that values long-term relationships and ultimately, rewarding achievements.”