It’s been a while since I last talked to George Perkins of Super Rare Games, the publisher of limited-run physical Switch releases that started in 2018. The company has expanded into physical PS5 releases and digital publishing. With a catalogue of 115 physical Switch games, it seems there is still enough interest to keep the company going strong.
As the Switch nears the end of its lifecycle, I caught up with George, the ‘Head of Doing Stuff’ at Super Rare, to discuss how the physical gaming landscape has changed since 2020, the impact of the backlash to the ‘Shorts’ misstep, the challenges faced by the industry, and what the future holds for Super Rare.
Reflecting on the past few years, George highlighted two significant changes at Super Rare. Firstly, the team has grown significantly, with new processes in place to ensure efficient communication internally and with partners. Secondly, the brand has become much stronger, making it easier to pitch to developers.
Despite the growing number of Switch consoles in the market, Super Rare has maintained a steady print run of around 3-4000 copies per title. George emphasized the company’s focus on sustainability and engagement with developers and fans through physical releases.
When it comes to signing new titles, George still follows his passion for games he likes, but also considers input from his team and audience. The experience with Super Rare Shorts, a project aimed at supporting small developers, taught the team valuable lessons about engaging with fans and considering all parties involved in a release.
Super Rare’s move into digital publishing with Super Rare Originals presented new challenges but also exciting opportunities. The company’s involvement in digital projects requires more planning and execution, but with an experienced team in place, they are navigating the digital market effectively.
Despite the industry turmoil in the past couple of years, Super Rare has remained stable, with a resurgence in physical sales this year. The move into physical PS5 games has been successful, with demand for PS titles expected to be around 25% of that for Nintendo Switch.
Looking ahead, George is excited about the future of physical releases for the “Switch successor.” He remains open to signing new titles and looks forward to the opportunities a new system brings.
Reflecting on past releases, George takes pride in titles like A Short Hike and Abzu for the impact they had on developers and players. As for future releases, George has his eye on titles like The Last Campfire and Another Crab’s Treasure as potential future projects.
Overall, Super Rare Games continues to thrive in the gaming industry, with a strong focus on sustainability, engagement with developers and fans, and a passion for bringing unique indie titles to the market.
