GameStop signs Ready At Dawn, Frozenbyte and more for new publishing label GameTrust

Retailer GameStop is expanding into new territory: video game publishing. And it's working with some well-known names — Insomniac Games, Ready At Dawn Studios, Frozenbyte and Tequila Works — to launch that effort through a new publishing label called GameTrust.

In January, GameStop revealed its first foray into game publishing when Insomniac Games, developer of Ratchet & Clank and Sunset Overdrive, unveiled its upcoming adventure game Song of the Deep. Insomniac and GameStop are working together to bring Song of the Deep to digital retailers and GameStop stores as part of an unprecedented partnership.

But that was just the beginning of GameStop's new venture, which it calls non-traditional game publishing.

Through GameTrust, GameStop says it will work with independent developers to help people discover new games, thanks to the company's expertise and retail presence. GameStop has more than 6,200 retail stores.

"GameTrust will revolutionize the game development and distribution process by offering a new way for independent developers to create and introduce their own IP to a broad gaming audience and for gamers to discover and enjoy exclusive new video game experiences," the company said.

GameStop says GameTrust is not part of the creative game-making process. Instead, GameStop will focus its efforts on investing in "exclusive real estate within its online and physical stores to offer gamers access to new games available across multiple platforms, including digital, physical, console, PC and VR."

The first game studios joining Insomniac Games at GameTrust are Ready At Dawn, the Irvine, California-based studio behind The Order 1886; Frozenbyte, the Finnish developer of the Trine series and the recently announced Shadwen; and Tequila Works, the Spanish studio behind Deadlight and Rime. (Tequila Works said last month it had reclaimed the rights to Rime from Sony Computer Entertainment.)

GameStop said it plans to announce new developers and new games that will be published through GameTrust soon.