Humble Bundle To Become Game Publisher

In an announcement on the Humble Bundle Blog today, Humble Bundle has stated that they will be getting into publishing video games. Along with this, they also announced the first 7 games they will be publishing.

Not much is known yet about Humble Bundle's program, but their official post stats that they plan to begin publishing and funding independent video games. They'll be publishing on PC, consoles, and mobile phones, and won't stick to any particular genre or style. They also stated that they plan to visit both GDC and PAX East to select new games to assist. Publishing Lead John Polson said the following on the Humble Blog:

Since Humble’s launch in 2010, we have earned the trust of over 10 million customers across our products. In a time when it’s harder than ever for games to find their audience, publishing feels like the next logical step in the services that we can offer to our developer partners.

All of our games will be ‘presented by Humble Bundle,’ carrying a seal of quality and curation that fans have come to expect. For each aspect of publishing, developers can choose the services they need, making Humble Bundle a truly modern and adaptable publisher.

So, what will be their first batch of games? The following were selected to be among the first:

• A Hat in Time is a 3D platformer that hearkens back to the days of Nintendo 64 collect-a-thons. The game has a goofy story, co-op, and guest composers, including Banjo-Kazooie composer Grant Kirkhope. A Hat in Time is being developed by Gears for Breakfast and is slated for a 2017 release on PC.
• HackyZack is a 2D puzzle-platformer where your goal is to juggle a ball around the level, smacking it to hit switches and eventually shoot it into the hoop to finish the level. HackyZack is being developed by Spaceboy Games and is coming out in March on PC with an Xbox One release to follow.
• Ikenfell is a turn-based RPG with a real Harry Potter style to it. You'll be playing as students in a magic school, learning spells while exploring the school and the secrets it holds. This is Humble Bundle's furthest release, not expected until Summer 2018. Ikenfell is being developed by Chevy Ray Johnston for the PC.
• Keyboard Sports has you using the entire keyboard to control a little man who must avoid traffic, survive a crashing airplane, run hurdles, and more. Notably, Keyboard Sports was the Humble Original game in the November 2016 Humble Monthly Bundle, only now it's being spun out into a full game. Keyboard Sports is being developed by Triband and is set for an Autumn 2017 release on PC.
• No Truce With the Furies describes itself as a police procedural role-playing game set in a "fantastic realism" world that blends sci-fi and fantasy elements with literary fiction. No Truce With the Furies is set to release sometime this year on PC and is being developed by ZA/UM Studio.
• Scorn is a first person horror adventure that stands out thanks to its art style that channels the works of H.R. Giger. Scorn is being developed by Ebb Software and is currently set for "Part 1" to be release on PC sometime this year, with "Part 2" following at a currently unannounced later date.
• Finally, Staxel is a sandbox farming game where you'll team up with other players to build a dream farm. Unlike the other games, you can play Staxel right now by buying the "sprout edition", which allows you early access to the game. The full release will be some time late 2017 for the PC. It's being developed by Plukit.

While we're currently unsure what Humble will chose to fund next, those first 7 games offer a wide range for anyone interested in what's to come.