Less than two months after being cut loose by Sega, which resulted in another round of layoffs at the studio, Company of Heroes developer Relic Entertainment says it is"returning to its roots as an independent creative studio" with support from investment firm Emona Capital LLP.
The investment from Emona,"an entrepreneurial investment firm with a global investment mandate," will in theory at least help make that happen. "Relic is a world-renowned studio, and we are privileged to partner with Justin and the team," Emona managing director Dominik Dolenec said."We look forward to supporting Relic’s journey."
To me, that doesn't really jibe with the concept of"independence," although I suppose it's not the same as being a wholly owned subsidiary. Relic should be in a better position now than it was last month and last year, but given thetoday, not to mention media in general, being owned by a global investment firm—even one"with a particular focus on gaming and technology," as Emona's website says—doesn't entirely ease anxieties about the studio's future.