Veterans of the industry have announced the creation of a new independent publishing house named The CoLab

The CoLab, a new independent game publishing company in the UK, has been unveiled. This venture is established by Darren Newnham, who previously served as CEO of United Label, Mark Faulkner, ex-Jagex product director, and John Lewis, formerly a senior art director at Codemasters. Their mission is to engage with indie game developers through a collaborative approach.

At its launch, The CoLab introduced three games: a sandbox narrative game named Campfire by Team Emprenintes, a cyberpunk-themed top-down shooter called DeadWire by Shotgun Anaconda, and Counter Clash, a strategy game by Bjenssen.

The company has plans to release more titles later in the year and into 2026. An exciting development for 2025 is the introduction of developer-led sessions, emphasizing the company's collaborative ethos.

The CoLab has also teamed up with the mental health charity Safe in Our World, highlighting its dedication to ethical practices, cooperation, and openness within the publishing realm.

Darren Newnham, the CEO, remarked, "Collaboration and teamwork are crucial, especially in an industry where layoffs are becoming increasingly common due to excessive focus on profits." He criticized the emphasis some publishers place on shareholder interests, which can lead to games being launched without adequate completion and at high costs, while developers may suffer from project cancellations and unpaid work.

Newnham emphasized that they aim to integrate developers fully into The CoLab's community, nurturing an environment where long-term partnerships and beneficial outcomes are prioritized.