Vancouver-based gaming studio Blackbird Interactive Inc. is changing up its leadership and business strategy.
The studio, famous for titles like Hardspace: Shipbreaker and Homeworld 3, said in a Thursday announcement founder Rob Cunningham is transitioning from the CEO role to serve as board chairman. Eric Torin, who previously served as chief strategy officer, takes over as CEO.
Blackbird also announced a minority investment and partnership with London-based Emona Capital LLP. The investment amount was not disclosed.
Blackbird president Rory McGuire, who was named as the studio’s chief creative officer in the announcement, said the partnership with Emona will bring together the financial expertise of the investment firm as well as the studio’s game-development abilities.
Emona will also have a seat on Blackbird’s board of directors, McGuire said, adding the investment firm has already advised his studio on a variety of items on the financial side.
McGuire said the investment will go towards expanding Blackbird’s work with external partners, such as helping other studios develop their games.
The investment will also help Blackbird improve its own business development, help develop games and take them to market, he said.
The past two years have been challenging for the industry, said McGuire, with one of the reasons being that most of the revenue in the industry is going to older games.
“Those are games like Fortnite, or Minecraft or Rocket League,” he said. “They've become lifestyle games where people play them over a lifetime.”
Another significant challenge was the decrease in demand for video games once the pandemic came to an end, he said.
The province’s latest fiscal budget revealed earlier this month that B.C.’s interactive digital media tax credit program is set to increase to 25 per cent, effective Sept. 1, and will cease to have a sunset date.
“It is tremendous for the industry,” said McGuire. “I think it's really helped ensure that there's going to be an industry here in the future too.”
