Null Games: GitHub co-founder takes off as an indie game publisher

With Null Games, one of the GitHub co-founders starts as a video game publisher for indie games.

Chris Wanstrath, co-founder of software development platform GitHub, is pleased to announce the formation of Null Games. Wanstrath co-founded GitHub in 2007 and served as the company’s CEO for several years before being acquired by Microsoft in 2018. With the founding of Null Games, Wanstrath uses his background to create a healthier, more sustainable game development environment.

Chris Wanstrath said of founding the studio:

“Null is part of a new wave of indie game publishers that are putting developers first.

Many of us grew up exploring fantastic digital worlds. But as we got older, we learned that the gaming industry isn’t always fun. The creatives directly responsible for making a great game are often the worst treated. In the world of indie games, publishers have all the power, and they know it. The contracts are often one-sided, as is the risk.

We believe there is a better way.

When I co-founded GitHub in 2007, the situation wasn’t much different. App and web developers were treated as disposable items. The tools they used weren’t always designed for them. But GitHub and companies like Heroku changed that by focusing solely on the developer experience. Today, app and web developers have fantastic tools and much better working conditions than they did a decade ago.

Zero is just a publisher. We cannot change the industry. But we’re part of a growing movement that can. By working with developers and offering them good conditions, we want to help them make better games in a more sustainable way. Because at the end of the day, this is about the games. We’ve seen what the anti-developer, badass culture produces. It’s time to see what happens when you treat developers and gamers with respect.”

Null Games’ first published title comes from Canadian developer Excellent Rectangle. Tape To Tape challenges players to guide a ragtag group of hockey players on their journey to the major leagues.

Tape to Tape combines modern precision with fast-paced ’90s-inspired action, delivering a unique combat system in the form of a balanced hockey Simcade experience.

Hire future Superstars, upgrade puck-smashing gear with the powerful Blademaster, and embark on the icy road to victory. When Tape to Tape launches in 2023, players will be able to hit the ice and do their best.

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