Black Tabby Publishing launches - betting on developer independence over hit chasing
Summary
Black Tabby Games (Slay the Princess, Scarlet Hollow) launches Black Tabby Publishing, its indie label
First signing: Prove You're Human by Sunset Visitor (1000xResist), fully funded from a paper pitch
Label prioritizes fair IP retention deals over returns - built to run lean with no recoup pressure
"We don't need every game we sign to be a smash hit"
01
Why Black Tabby is publishing - surplus capital meets a broken pitch market
Black Tabby has fully funded Scarlet Hollow and pre-saved budget for its third game, generating excess revenue
Rather than sit on surplus, co-founders Abby Howard and Tony Howard-Arias chose to reinvest in other developers
Sunset Visitor's Remy Siu described a publishing environment that stalled - no hard no's, just indefinite waffling
Black Tabby bypassed the full pitch process and greenlit Prove You're Human on a paper pitch alone
"It felt like the current publishing environment was not well-suited for specifically what he wanted to do"
02
Deal structure - IP stays with the developer, recoup terms are simple
Revenue split is 70% to Black Tabby pre-recoup, 30% post-recoup - no interest, no double recoup clauses
Term is fixed at 3 years, after which all rights revert fully to Sunset Visitor
Low overhead and a small headcount mean Black Tabby can absorb risk without endangering its own projects
Long-term goal: each signed studio becomes self-sufficient and never needs outside funding again
03
Prove You're Human - why timing and format made traditional publishing a poor fit
The game uses full-motion video (FMV), requiring real-world film shoots with actors on location
Production filmed in Vancouver in Summer 2025 to capture seasonal light - missing the window means a 12-month delay
Real-world logistical constraints like this make FMV games a poor fit for slow-moving traditional publisher timelines
Black Tabby's lean, low-pressure structure was directly suited to Sunset Visitor's production needs
04
What to watch - signals for Black Tabby Publishing's next moves
Watch whether Black Tabby discloses selection criteria publicly - their paper-pitch model could attract a large inbound pipeline
If Prove You're Human performs well post-launch, expect Black Tabby to accelerate signing pace and formalize the label
Developers in niche or logistically complex genres (FMV, narrative, experimental) should watch this label as a viable alternative to VC-backed publishers
The 3-year full IP reversion clause sets a benchmark - other boutique publishers may face pressure to match it
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