Devolver Digital company Good Shepherd and Rebellion (2000AD, Sniper Elite) have entered into a groundbreaking partnership for Good Shepherd to develop and publish video game adaptations based on stories from the 2000AD universe, the home of Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, ABC Warriors and more, as well as Rebellion’s other comic IP, including Roy of the Rovers and Battle Action.
Although Good Shepherd has been producing games since 2011 with runaway hits like Monster Train and the Transport Fever franchise, the label has seen strong growth in the adaptation space in recent years propelling the label’s new dawn of marrying top-class, worldwide publishing services with sought-after entertainment brands like John Wick Hex and Hellboy.
“We are huge fans of Rebellion and 2000AD” said Amanda Kruse, head of business development and publishing for Good Shepherd. “It’s still early days, but building this out with partners who understand the art of adaptation across mediums has been incredible. We are excited to bring fans the hits they are expecting, but even more excited to play with the deep cuts in the library.”
As downthetubes readers know, Rebellion is the custodian and rights holder for a huge number of the British comics created throughout history. Alongside the legendary Judge Dredd, Rebellion owns iconic British comics characters like footballing legend Roy of the Rovers, the original action detective Sexton Blake, supervillain-turned-hero The Spider – famously written by Superman co-creator Jerry Seigel, Romans-in-space epic “The Trigan Empire”, Alan Moore and Ian Gibson’s celebrated heroine, Halo Jones – and it also contains incredible curiosities such as Gorillaz artist Jamie Hewlett’s surreal graphic novel collaboration, Hewligan’s Haircut.
With comics from throughout the history of the medium, Rebellion’s catalog features countless characters and strips from every genre; from sci-fi, sports, westerns, war, espionage, horror and mystery to adventure, humour, historical, super-heroes and villains, and dozens more.
“We are honoured to be the foremost custodians of the rich history of the British comics industry, and as we aim to preserve these legacies. Rebellion is proud to bring these stories to entirely new generations who will experience them for the first time through our partnership with Good Shepherd,” said Jason Kingsley OBE, CEO and co-founder of Rebellion, which ought the 2000AD brand and characters back in 2000.
“My brother Chris (co-founder of Rebellion) and I have read 2000AD from issue 1, and we look forward to seeing some of these stories brought to life with Good Shepherd.”
Good Shepherd’s mission is to pair world-class developers with beloved IP, giving them unprecedented access to create memorable and impactful game adaptations in fan-favourite worlds. Through strategic partnerships with some of the industry’s most notable names, including Lionsgate, Dark Horse, Disney, MGM, and Epic, GSE leverages publishing resources on a global scale to punch above its weight. Notable games and franchises published by Good Shepherd include John Wick Hex, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, the Hard West series, Monster Train, and the Transport Fever franchise, and the upcoming Hellboy Web of Wyrd.
Founded in 1992, Rebellion is one of the world’s most successful independent studios. Its flagship Sniper Elite series is renowned for its authentic stealth and sniping gameplay with more than 20 million players worldwide. The latest game in the franchise, Sniper Elite 5, was released in May 2022 to critical acclaim. 2000AD is synonymous with the absolute finest in British comic book art. With the acquisition of a $100m film studio and the world’s largest archive of English language comics, Rebellion continues to grow from strength to strength.
Rebellion now operates across books, comics, TV and film, but at its core it’s still a leading developer and publisher of games. Whether it’s the breath-taking intensity of the Sniper Elite, the face-hugging terror of Aliens vs. Predator or the grindhouse frenzy of the Zombie Army series, the Oxford-based studio is revered for creating stand-out games designed to thrill.
• For more information about Good Shepherd, visit goodshepherd.games – or hit them up on Twitter @GoodShepherdEnt and join their Discord here
• To learn more about Rebellion, visit rebellion.com, follow them on Twitter @rebellion and join their Discord
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: 2000AD, British Comics, Comics, downthetubes News, Games, Licensing, Other Worlds