Company:Kepler Interactive

From HandWiki
Kepler Interactive Limited
TypePrivate
IndustryVideo games
Founded2 April 2020; 6 years ago (2020-04-02)
Headquarters
London
,
United Kingdom
Key people
Alexis Garavaryan (CEO)
Sun Yiu Samuel Lee (COO)
DivisionsKepler Ghost
Websitekepler-interactive.com

Kepler Interactive Limited is a video game publisher headquartered in London, with an additional office in Singapore.[1] Founded in April 2020 at the initiative of Alexis Garavaryan,[2][3] the company was formed via an alliance with seven[1] indie game developers. They are New Zealand-based A44, Canada-based Alpha Channel, France-based Awaceb and Sloclap, Serbia-based Ebb Software, Japan-based Swedish developer Shapefarm and US-based Timberline Studio.

In September 2021, Garavaryan announced Kepler had received funding from NetEase and that the latter would be a minority investor, with plans for the company's game studio founders to become co-owners, share resources and financial gains, while remaining in charge of their own studios.[1] In 2023 and 2025 respectively, The Gentlebros and Tactical Adventures became the eighth and ninth independent game developers to join the collective of studios that co-own Kepler.

Employing around 50 people, Kepler also publishes titles from studios outside the group.[4] Its most notable published games include Sifu (2022), Tchia (2023), Pacific Drive (2024) and Software:Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025).

History

Kepler Interactive was founded on 2 April 2020 at the initiative of former Ubisoft employee and French entrepreneur Alexis Garavaryan,[3] who had previously co-founded the video game investment fund Kowloon Nights.[5] Self-described as a "super developer" publishing group, Kepler was born out of an alliance between seven studios to “pool their resources and knowledge”.[6] The company has stated that every studio head that enters the fold gets an equal say on how Kepler operates, and an equal share of the benefits. Beyond Garavaryan himself, this included the heads of A44 (known for developing Ashen), Alpha Channel, Awaceb (known for Tchia), Ebb Software (known for Scorn), Shapefarm, Sloclap (known for developing Absolver and Sifu) and Timberline Studio.[7][8] Garavaryan declared that they had a studio committee, which meets on a weekly basis, as to major decisions relating to Kepler, but that this did not involve the heads deliberating on decisions pertaining to the individual studios themselves, which remain functionally independent.[1]

In September 2021, Kepler announced it had raised $120 million from Chinese gaming company NetEase.[1]

In 2023, Kepler also launched Kepler Ghost, a white-label publishing service, providing marketing and publishing for game developers. Eternights from Studio Sai was the first video game project to benefit from this program.[9] The Gentlebros, the developer behind the Cat Quest series, became the eighth studio to join Kepler's ownership structure; meanwhile a partnership with the new studio Sandfall Interactive for the latter's debut title, Software:Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, was officially announced in March 2023.[10] It also partnered with Ironwood Studios for the publishing and release of Pacific Drive.[11]

In April 2025, Kepler published Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, whose development it had funded as a result of its partnership with Sandfall, to universal acclaim.[12] The same year, Tactical Adventures, the studio behind Software:Solasta: Crown of the Magister, became the ninth independent studio to join the collective of studios that co-own Kepler Interactive.[13][14]

Alexis Garavaryan claims Kepler to be highly selective as to the titles it publishes. It evaluates an average of 1,400 projects per year and signs “only two or three”. He also states the firm sets itself apart by financing projects with modest budgets but with high-quality visuals and innovative game mechanics.[15] Unlike most publishers, who finance a title in exchange for varying degrees of control over its development, Garavaryan asserts Kepler never imposes decisions on the development studios it partners with. François Meurisse, COO and co-founder of Sandfall Interactive, highlighted it was this promise of creative freedom on Expedition 33 that prompted the team, which had received offers from more prominent publishers in the industry, to sign with Kepler instead.[16]

Kepler generated a gross revenue of $50 million in FY2022 in the wake of Sloclap's Sifu and Ebb Software's Scorn, the first titles published by the company.[10] It was not a profitable year however, as the company operated at a loss; as was the case in the following two fiscal years.[17] In 2025, with the release of Sloclap's Rematch and most notably Sandfall's commercial smash Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the young publisher generated a record gross revenue of $305m (a 522% increase from the $49m generated in FY2024) and gross profit of $193m (a 565% increase from $29m in FY2024). With an operating profit of $128m and profit after tax of $108m (up from an operating loss of $16m and a loss after tax of $38m the previous year), FY2025 marked Kepler's first profitable year since its foundation.[18][19]

Games published

Year Title Platform(s) Developer Ref.
2022 Sifu Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S Sloclap
Scorn Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S Ebb Software
2023 Tchia Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S Awaceb
2024 Ultros macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S Hadoque [20]
Pacific Drive Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S Ironwood Studios
Cat Quest III Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S The Gentlebros
Software:Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S A44
2025 Bionic Bay Windows, PlayStation 5 Mureena, Psychoflow Studio [21]
Software:Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S Sandfall Interactive [22]
Rematch Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S Sloclap [23]
2026 TankRat Windows, PlayStation 5 Alpha Channel
Orbitals Nintendo Switch 2 Shapefarm [24]
2027 Ontos Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S Frictional Games
PVKK: Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant Windows, macOS Bippinbits [25]
TBA Solasta II Windows Tactical Adventures

Games published via Kepler Ghost

Year Title Platform(s) Developer Ref.
2023 Eternights Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 Studio Sai
En Garde! Windows Fireplace Games
Apocalypse Party Breaker Games
Battle Shapers Metric Empire
2024 Windblown Motion Twin [26]
Unrailed 2: Back on Track Windows, macOS Indoor Astronaut [27]
Dark Hours Windows Piece of Cake Studios
2026 Blightstone Windows Unfinished Pixel
Beastro Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S Timberline Studio
Neon Abyss 2 Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S Vivo Games

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Mukherjee, Supantha (September 28, 2023). "Gaming company Kepler raises $120 mln from China's NetEase". Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/technology/gaming-company-kepler-raises-120-mln-chinas-netease-2021-09-28/. Retrieved July 31, 2023. 
  2. ↑ "KEPLER INTERACTIVE LIMITED". GOV.UK. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12545265. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "KEPLER INTERACTIVE LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK" (in en). https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12545265/officers. 
  4. ↑ "Gamescom: l'éditeur Kepler sur orbite avec les succès de "Expedition 33" et "Rematch"". Challenges. 20 August 2025. https://www.challenges.fr/economie/gamescom-lediteur-kepler-sur-orbite-avec-les-succes-de-expedition-33-et-rematch_622068. Retrieved 19 November 2025. 
  5. ↑ Partis, Danielle (September 29, 2021). "Publisher Kepler Interactive launches, raises $120m". Gameindustry.biz. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/publisher-kepler-interactive-launches-raises-usd120m. Retrieved July 31, 2023. 
  6. ↑ "Gamescom: l'éditeur Kepler sur orbite avec les succès de "Expedition 33" et "Rematch"". Challenges. 20 August 2025. https://www.challenges.fr/economie/gamescom-lediteur-kepler-sur-orbite-avec-les-succes-de-expedition-33-et-rematch_622068. Retrieved 19 November 2025. 
  7. ↑ Partis, Danielle (October 14, 2021). "Introducing Kepler Interactive, a publisher run by independent developers". Gameindustry.biz. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/introducing-kepler-interactive-a-publisher-run-by-independent-developers. Retrieved July 31, 2023. 
  8. ↑ Denzer, TJ (September 28, 2021). "Kepler Interactive 'super developer' publisher group formed with $120m in funding". Shacknews. https://www.shacknews.com/article/126874/kepler-interactive-super-developer-publisher-group-formed-with-120m-in-funding. Retrieved July 31, 2023. 
  9. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffery (March 17, 2023). "Kepler Interactive hits $50m in 2022 and unveils new partnerships". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/kepler-interactive-hits-50m-in-2022-and-unveils-new-partnerships. Retrieved July 31, 2023. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Kaser, Rachel (March 17, 2023). "Kepler Interactive begins 2023 with new partnerships". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/games/kepler-interactive-begins-2023-with-new-partnerships/. Retrieved July 31, 2023. 
  11. ↑ Romano, Sal (June 10, 2023). "Pacific Drive to be published by Kepler Interactive". Gematsu. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230610195412/https://www.gematsu.com/2023/06/pacific-drive-to-be-published-by-kepler-interactive. Retrieved July 12, 2023. 
  12. ↑ "Clair Obscur: How a passion project became 2025's most talked-about game". BBC. May 4, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c078j5gd71ro. Retrieved May 7, 2025. 
  13. ↑ Weber, Rachel (February 22, 2025). "How Kepler Interactive balances artistic vision with gaming innovation". Gameindustry.biz. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/how-kepler-interactive-balances-artistic-vision-with-gaming-innovation. Retrieved July 3, 2025. 
  14. ↑ "Gamescom: l'éditeur Kepler sur orbite avec les succès de "Expedition 33" et "Rematch"". Challenges. 20 August 2025. https://www.challenges.fr/economie/gamescom-lediteur-kepler-sur-orbite-avec-les-succes-de-expedition-33-et-rematch_622068. Retrieved 19 November 2025. 
  15. ↑ "Gamescom: l'éditeur Kepler sur orbite avec les succès de "Expedition 33" et "Rematch"". Challenges. 20 August 2025. https://www.challenges.fr/economie/gamescom-lediteur-kepler-sur-orbite-avec-les-succes-de-expedition-33-et-rematch_622068. Retrieved 19 November 2025. 
  16. ↑ "Gamescom: l'éditeur Kepler sur orbite avec les succès de "Expedition 33" et "Rematch"". Challenges. 20 August 2025. https://www.challenges.fr/economie/gamescom-lediteur-kepler-sur-orbite-avec-les-succes-de-expedition-33-et-rematch_622068. Retrieved 19 November 2025. 
  17. ↑ "Kepler Interactive Limited: Filing history - Accounts Category". Companies House. 3 April 2020. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12545265/filing-history. Retrieved 21 September 2026. 
  18. ↑ "Kepler Interactive Limited: Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended - 31 December 2025". Companies House. 26 August 2026. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12545265/filing-history/MzU0MDUxNTQ0M2FkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf&download=0. Retrieved 21 September 2026. 
  19. ↑ "Kepler Interactive Limited: Filing history - Accounts Category". Companies House. 3 April 2020. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12545265/filing-history. Retrieved 21 September 2026. 
  20. ↑ Donnelly, Joe (2024-02-12). "Ultros review: 'A drop-dead gorgeous head trip of a Metroidvania game set in a cosmic uterus sarcophagus'". GamesRadar. https://www.gamesradar.com/ultros-review/. Retrieved 2024-02-13. 
  21. ↑ Reuben, Nic (6 August 2024). "Cinematic platformer Bionic Bay is incredibly impressive even beyond its 250,000 pixel trees". https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/cinematic-platformer-bionic-bay-is-incredibly-impressive-even-beyond-its-250000-pixel-trees. 
  22. ↑ Valentine, Rebekah (June 10, 2024). "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 From Sandfall Interactive Announced for 2025". IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/clair-obscur-expedition-33-from-sandfall-interactive-announced-for-2025. Retrieved June 10, 2024. 
  23. ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (December 12, 2024). "The Next Game From the Developer of Sifu Is an Online Multiplayer Soccer Game - The Game Awards 2024". IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/the-next-game-from-the-developer-of-sifu-is-an-online-multiplayer-soccer-game-the-game-awards-2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024. 
  24. ↑ Garrido, Alberto (December 11, 2025). "Orbitals presents a Toriyama-esque co-operative space adventure exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2". Game Reactor. https://www.gamereactor.eu/orbitals-presents-a-toriyama-esque-co-operative-space-adventure-exclusive-to-nintendo-switch-2-1647823/. Retrieved December 13, 2025. 
  25. ↑ "PVKK Release Date Update". May 7, 2026. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2956040/view/677372009606284070?l=english. Retrieved June 2, 2026. 
  26. ↑ Evans-Thirlwell, Edwin (2023-12-08). "Dead Cells creators Motion Twin reveal cute and gory new roguelike Windblown" (in en). Rock, Paper, Shotgun. https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/dead-cells-creators-motion-twin-reveal-cute-and-gory-new-roguelike-windblown. 
  27. ↑ Romano, Sal (2023-11-30). "Unrailed! 2: Back on Track announced for PC" (in en-US). https://www.gematsu.com/2023/11/unrailed-2-back-on-track-announced-for-pc. 
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