Chris Kerr, Senior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.com

January 8, 2026

2 Min Read

Phasmophobia developer Kinetic Games is launching a new publishing label to provide indie studios with financial, legal, and marketing support.

Kinetic Publishing has been formed with the aim of championing innovation within the indie space and intends to cultivate a small publishing slate to ensure it can provide tailored support to partner studios.

Speaking to Game Developer about the move, Kinetic Games director of marketing and partnerships Asim Tanvir explained the nascent division ideally wants to support two or three projects to ensure it can make time for each team while continuing to support Phasmophobia.

Ideally, Kinetic Publishing wants to take on titles that are roughly 12 to 18 months from release with a view to helping those projects accelerate towards the finish line.

The label will be spearheaded by five senior members of the Kinetic Games team, including CEO Daniel Knight—who initially began working on Phasmophobia as a solo developer. The chief exec said he wants to provide the kind of support he would have found invaluable at the beginning of his development journey.

Knight is joined by Tanvir, who previously oversaw community, marketing, and social operations for major publishers including 2K, Konami, and Zynga.

Related:Monument Valley dev ustwo becomes ‘PC-first’ studio

"Be authentic and proud of what you’re working on"

Tanvir encouraged developers interested in working with Kinetic Publishing to provide the team with as much key detail as possible when submitting their pitch.

"Focus on the information that best represents your game and highlights its potential, as this will help you and our team too," he said. "Also, be authentic and proud of what you’re working on. If you are, that will come through and shine in your submission. Were really looking forward to seeing a variety of pitches come through."

The financial support offered to partners will be determined on a case-by-case basis, but Tanvir underlined that Kinetic intends to invest a "sizeable" amount reflective of current trends in the indie space.

"We expect the majority will be looking for money to fund development of their game, of course. In addition to that they might be looking for marketing support too, for example. That’s something we can offer," he added.

Contract terms and minimum cut will also vary from project to project, according to Tanvir.

"What we can say is we love all the great work that is happening in the indie space and our goal with the label is to bring fantastic indie projects and teams to the fore while also setting them up for future success too," he continued.

Related:Update: Ubisoft closes Halifax studio weeks after workers vote to unionize

You can find out more about Kinetic Publishing on the label’s newly-launched webpage.

About the Author

Senior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton.