Oni Press, the acclaimed Portland-based comics publisher, announces the launch of Oni Games, a new gaming imprint dedicated to bringing Oni Press titles to the growing tabletop market.
With the response to Renegade Game Studios’ Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Card Game based on the graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O’Malley and designed by Keith Baker (Gloom, Illimat), the positive critical and fan response to the recently launched Dead of Winter comic series based on Plaid Hat Games’ hit board game, as well as our previous collaboration with Pinnacle Entertainment Group in bringing Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt’s The Sixth Gun to the Savage Worlds role-playing system, Oni Press felt it was time to capitalize on the momentum for a more official entry into the world of gaming.
“As fans of the exciting developments and explosive growth in modern tabletop, we are excited to bring the same level of quality and execution in our creator-owned comics and graphic novels to the world of board games,” commented Oni Press’ VP of Creative/Business Development, Charlie Chu. “The opportunity to bring our library of fun, accessible, and idiosyncratic comics and graphic novels to life from page to cardboard is irresistible.”
The focus of the Oni Games imprint will be on partnering with both new and veteran game designers and established game publishers to bring the unique characters and vibrant worlds of their original creator-owned comics to the world of games.
Joining Oni Press to help manage this initiative is industry veteran Steve Ellis. Ellis has worked in the gaming industry across a variety of capacities for almost 20 years, including retail as the founder and owner of Rainy Day Games, and a long list of credits in game design and development on projects like Dicey Goblins, the Trains series, and many others.
“I am excited to be joining the talented team at Oni Press as they embark upon a new initiative within the realm of games,” said Steve Ellis. “I look forward to working with many talented game designers and developers to bring some of the amazing Oni Press properties to life in new interactive ways.”
“We’re so thrilled to have a multifaceted talent like Steve working with Charlie to breathe life into this new category for our business,” concluded Oni Press Publisher James Lucas Jones. “We’re fired up for Gen Con and can’t wait to meet with game industry friends new and old at the show to discuss what all we have cooking as part of Oni Games.”
