Double Fine regains Costume Quest & Stacking publishing rights, partners with Nordic Games for retail release

Psychonauts, Stacking, Costume Quest to see retail release in North America and Europe in first half of 2014

Posted by Staff
San Francisco, CA and Vienna, Austria — November 26th, 2013 — Double Fine Productions and Nordic Games have announced that Double Fine has reacquired all the publishing and distribution rights to its games Costume Quest and Stacking. Additionally, Double Fine has decided to partner with Nordic Games to bring retail release of Psychonauts, Costume Quest, and Stacking for Windows and Mac in North America and Europe during the first half of 2014.

"I am pleased that we have regained full control over Costume Quest and Stacking, following a daring and top-secret midnight raid on the Nordic Games headquarters in Vienna," said Double Fine president and CEO Tim Schafer.

"We can't wait to partner with Double Fine for this upcoming retail launch of three of its most excellent games," said Lars Wingefors, owner and CEO of Nordic Games. "However, I feel compelled to point out that we were happy to transfer distribution rights for Costume Quest and Stacking back to Double Fine in an entirely non-secretive and heist-free manner."

Nordic Games previously acquired the distribution rights to Stacking and Costume Quest upon the bankruptcy of former publisher THQ in early 2013.

"Double Fine is dedicated to controlling its own IP, and we will continue working to bring all associated rights back in-house whenever possible," said Double Fine business development VP Justin Bailey, "no matter how many split-second security system hacks or painstaking tunneling operations we have to execute."

"I just want to clarify, again, that we support the right of independent developers to control their own distribution, and we were pleased to have the opportunity to work with Double Fine," said Klemens Kreuzer, Managing Director at Nordic Games. "No heists."

Psychonauts was originally released at retail in 2005, but for years has been available only through digital distribution. The upcoming retail launch will mark the first time Costume Quest and Stacking have been available as physical releases.

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About Nordic Games GmbH
Nordic Games GmbH is a wholly owned publishing subsidiary of the Nordic Games Group AB. Founded in 2011, the Vienna/Austria based company Nordic Games GmbH puts great emphasis on its extensive game catalogue. The core portfolio comprises products and brands which have recently been acquired from JoWooD Entertainment AG, DreamCatcher Interactive Inc., THQ Inc., Atari SAS, and further IPs and trademarks will follow.

The company will pursue the long-term goal of delivering quality products that live up to expectations of gamers worldwide.

For more information, please visit www.nordicgames.at.

About Double Fine Productions
Double Fine Productions is a San Francisco-based game developer that makes games with a focus on creativity, characters, and fun. Since its founding in 2000, it has produced the award-winning titles Psychonauts, Brütal Legend, Costume Quest, Stacking, Iron Brigade, Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster, Kinect Party, Middle Manager of Justice, Dropchord, and The Cave. Learn more about Double Fine at www.doublefine.com[/url].
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