Midwest Games hires ex-Bungie exec to launch "shadow publishing" model
Summary
Midwest Games appoints Elizabeth Howard (ex-Bungie VP of Production) as Chief Advisor of Services
Launch of a new "shadow publishing" initiative targeting underserved indie and mid-size studios
Model addresses a critical gap: flexible, cost-effective publishing support with full IP and revenue retention for devs
"While flexible models exist for development, that same flexibility has been missing in publishing—until recently"
01
The market problem being solved
More games entering market, fewer traditional publishing deals available
Studios face the burden of self-publishing without the infrastructure to execute
Most publishing support models are rigid — not scaled to studio size or budget
02
What shadow publishing actually means
Work-for-hire model: both à la carte and full-service options available
Developers retain full IP and all future revenue rights
Studios keep full say over publishing decisions
Services span the entire lifecycle: pre-launch, launch, and post-launch
Covers PC and console titles across all genres
03
Services offered
Business & Publishing Strategy
Platform Management
Marketing and PR
Developer Services
Pricing advantage tied to Midwest's geographic location — keeping costs accessible
04
Why Elizabeth Howard
Former VP of Production at Bungie — led Destiny 2: The Final Shape production
Prior roles: VP of Publishing Operations at 2K, VP of Publishing at Aspyr
Deep cross-functional publishing and developer services expertise
"Midwest Games can help studios navigate a competitive and fragmented publishing landscape while retaining the value of their game"
05
What's next
Howard will lead scaling of the shadow publishing initiative across more studios
Midwest continues to expand its footprint beyond Midwest U.S. to other underrepresented regions
Broader goal: position Midwest Games as the go-to flexible publishing partner for studios that can't — or won't — sign traditional deals
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