Former Gearbox president Steve Gibson launches Cooldown Games

Former Gearbox founder and president Steve Gibson has launched Cooldown Games. 

Cooldown Games is a new game publisher that's on the lookout for promising game developers and projects to bring to the market. The team has a few games lined up and plans to make an announcement this year.

“Our team is confident rational business models will be a long-term strength of Cooldown Games and that just might be a refreshing contrast from many recent industry trends,” said Gibson. 

Gibson will helm Cooldown Games as CEO alongside six additional co-founders who previously worked together in publishing. The team's core belief is that ''great games don’t need to be all-consuming and can still fit seamlessly into a busy lifestyle.''

The company said it aims to stand out by focusing on premium titles that emphasise bringing more refined gaming experiences that players can enjoy at their own pace without large time investments to join in or keep up. 

A new adventure

Take-Two acquired Gearbox from Embracer for a sum of $460 million in March 2024 and not long after, Gearbox shut down, leading to job losses, including that of Gibson, who had been with the company since 2009. 

“That last year was the most difficult time I’ve been through. The uncertainty was tense," said Gibson to Bloomberg. After Gearbox closed, Gibson began discussing plans with former colleagues, and within months, seven of them teamed up to launch a new video game publisher called Cooldown Games.

Gibson said that reliability ensures the game is from a trusted group or has a proven outcome, like a remaster. Breakout potential looks at whether the game could become a major hit. Lastly, lessons focus on whether a project will teach the team something new or strengthen relationships with platforms.

Cooldown Games chief product officer Matt Charles added: “Many talented developers weathered the recent industry turbulence and now more than ever seek a partner that understands their project’s vision and how it will resonate with an audience. We are looking to work with astute and passionate teams that share our philosophy and observation about player behaviour, and we can create a force-multiplying partnership on the path to release.”