Indie devs form Nova Assembly
A group of five independent studios announced Nova Assembly, a cooperative formed to share resources and support among small teams (x.com). The initiative was described as a pragmatic response to indie resource constraints, pairing studios for mutual access to tools and know‑how (x.com).
Five independent game studios said on April 9 that they had formed Nova Assembly, a developer-run holding company that shares staff, tools, and marketing support while keeping each studio separate. (gamesindustry.biz) The group’s five members are Unfrozen, Sad Cat Studios, VEA Games, Weappy, and Game Garden, and GamesIndustry.biz reported that the alliance currently spans 10 games in development. (gamesindustry.biz) The studios are not merging into one developer. IGN reported that each team will stay independent while Nova Assembly coordinates development help, marketing support, and, later, a co-owned publishing label. (ign.com) Denis Fedorov, founder of Unfrozen, is serving as Nova Assembly’s chief executive, and Ilya Yanovich, co-founder of Weappy, is the group’s creative director. (thisweekinvideogames.com) The studios described the structure as a way to cut outsourcing and cover gaps inside the group. GamesBeat reported that the five companies are co-owned by the studios and give one another access to shared expertise and resources. (gamesbeat.com) In its open letter, the group said one studio could temporarily lend a specialist, a tool, or short-term financing to another studio instead of forcing that team to seek outside help. IGN reported that the letter also said Nova Assembly wants to build its own publishing arm for marketing, distribution, and direct audience communication. (ign.com) The timing comes after two years of cuts across game development. The 2025 State of the Game Industry survey from the Game Developers Conference said 11% of developers reported being laid off in the prior year, and 41% said they were affected by layoffs in some way. (gdconf.com) Nova Assembly’s first near-term test is a release date. GamesIndustry.biz said Sad Cat Studios’ side-scrolling action game *Replaced* is scheduled to launch on April 14, 2026, making it the first release tied to the new group. (gamesindustry.biz) The alliance also links several recognizable mid-size projects under one roof, including *Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era*, *Replaced*, *Nikoderiko: The Magical World*, and *The Eternal Life of Goldman*. (gamesbeat.com) For now, Nova Assembly is presenting itself as a shared support system, not a brand replacing the studios players already know. The bet is that five teams can pool risk and know-how without giving up control of the games they make. (gamesindustry.biz)
