Telltale Games is back from the grave – but don't expect more Walking Dead

(Image credit: Telltale Games)

Telltale Games is back: after a highly public studio closure and questionable treatment of the company's staff – 90% of which were sacked without warning or severance – it looks like the interactive video game publisher will be getting back into the business of making and shipping Telltale games.

As reported by Business Wire, Telltale's resurrection is due to a number of industry executives deciding to purchase the studio, with the rights to Telltale's key assets, trademarks, technology, and select intellectual properties."

The re-opened studio will be looking to re-release "select games from the studio’s back catalog," alongside new titles based on Telltale's "bestselling brands."

What games will the new Telltale release?

Telltale's name has become synonymous with interactive fiction, usually working with high-profile franchises like The Walking Dead or DC's Batman. However, the licenses for The Walking Dead series, as well as the unfinished Stranger Things tie-in game, have since reverted back to its original owners, meaning it's unlikely we'll see new games in these franchises ship under the Telltale name. 

Others, like Guardians of the Galaxy, Sam & Max, or Tales from the Borderlands could be re-issued in bundles of back catalogue titles – with the last of the three seeming ripe for future titles with a Borderlands 3 game about to launch.

Publisher Skybound now holds the rights to preexisting The Walking Dead games, with The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series – which includes previously unreleased episodes releasing on September 10 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. 

We expect the Telltale series is coming to an end there – and given the studio's unceremonious closure, future licensing for Telltale may be harder than it was before, despite its new management.

Via Polygon

Henry St Leger

Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.