Blumhouse, the multimedia company best known for its work in the horror genre, is launching its own gaming subsidiary, Blumhouse Games.
The company has named industry veterans Zach Wood as president and Don Sechler as CFO of the new venture. Blumhouse Games will partner with indie developers to create original horror titles for PC, console, and mobile audiences. In line with the company’s work in the film industry, Blumhouse Games hopes that this focus on independent developers with smaller budgets (below $10 million) can foster innovation and push creative boundaries.
“For some time we have been looking to build out a team to start accessing the growth opportunity in interactive media,” said Blumhouse president Abhijay Prakash. “When we sat with Zach and Don they articulated an approach that resonated with Blumhouse’s model and we knew it was a perfect place for us to start our push into the interactive space. With their experience, sensibility and knowledge of the gaming marketplace Zach and Don are the ideal leaders to leverage Blumhouse’s unique genre strengths into gaming.”
Screaming into new markets
Blumhouse Games president Zach Wood has garnered over 25 years of experience at companies such as Arkane Studios and Santa Monica Studio, and has shipped games on every major platform.
“Through my time in the industry, I’ve had the good fortune of working closely with developers to bring their ideas to life,” said Wood. “There’s a unique opportunity for horror and genre in the indie game space, and I’m thrilled about teaming up with Blumhouse to meaningfully leverage the company’s brand, reputation, and creative talent.”
Blumhouse Games CFO Don Sechler joins the company following his time at PlayStation, where he held the position of vice president and global head of business operations, planning, & strategy.
Blumhouse was founded in 2000, and since then has become one of the leading names in horror thanks to films such as Get Out, Happy Death Day, and the company’s breakout hit Paranormal Activity.
While horror has historically done well in the games space, with massive successes such as the Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and The Last of Us franchises, the genre has yet to make a sizable imprint on mobile platforms. With Blumhouse Games planning to work on mobile devices, we may see a game fully capture the potential of the genre on phones.
In November, we examined the potential of the horror genre in mobile gaming.
