FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DENVER, CO, USA – February 6, 2025 – Digital Bandidos is pleased to present three key additions to its management team, bringing decades of industry experience to the independent games publisher. These hires strengthen the company's ability to grow and provide the services, expertise and advice it needs to be successful in this changing market.
Richard Iwaniuk FCPA, FCA has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer. A Chartered Accountant since 1993, he brings 24 years of experience in the gaming industry, having led finance and business development at BioWare, Electronic Arts, and Intel. He played a pivotal role in BioWare’s expansion from 80 to over 600 employees worldwide and was instrumental in the studio’s successful acquisition by Elevation Partners and subsequently by Electronic Arts.
Richard Iggo has joined as Head of Marketing, drawing on 25 years experience in this field. Iggo built and led the publishing team that helped grow Telltale Games from a $35 million studio to more than $200 million. He has contributed to the success of more than 100 titles across PC, console and mobile, including titles in iconic franchises such as Minecraft, Batman and The Walking Dead.
James Batchelor takes on the role of Communications Manager after 18 years in trade journalism covering the games industry. He was most recently editor-in-chief of GamesIndustry.biz, and previously held editorial leadership positions at Develop and MCV, bringing deep insight into the business of video games to the team.
“Adding these excellent professionals to the Bandidos team levels up the company in a big way” said Steve Escalante, CEO of Digital Bandidos. “We are not building a run-of-the-mill indie publisher. We are laser focused on creating a new, modern publisher that embraces all the challenges and needs of the industry and bringing that to the forefront of our offering. Creating a core brain trust to embrace these new tactics and strategies is essential and we couldn’t be happier with our progress.”
This announcement follows the mobile launch of Town of Salem 2, the sequel to the beloved social deduction phenomenon, as well as the news that Digital Bandidos will bring the game to current-generation PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch consoles later this year – a first for the series.
The company is also preparing exciting updates on a number of other projects due to arrive in 2025 and beyond, including the latest on Soulstone Survivors and the unveiling of several new games in development.
Digital Bandidos was co-founded in 2024 by CEO Steve Escalante and executive producer Lance James, who already share decades of experience and worked together at independent game publisher Versus Evil.
Digital Bandidos is a full-service publisher currently looking for PC and console titles with development budgets of up to $3 million. It specialises in role-playing, strategy and action games, but is open to any genre on any platform.
The company can offer its development partners:
- Comprehensive Publishing Solutions: With decades of proven expertise, we provide indie game developers with expert guidance, support, and a full suite of publishing services.
- A Developer-Centric Partnership: We prioritize the needs and creative vision of indie developers, fostering collaborative relationships built on trust, transparency, and shared success.
- Multi-Platform Savviness: We leverage strategic partnerships and industry knowledge to maximize the reach and impact of indie games across multiple distribution channels.
- Flexible Funding Options: Our innovative funding model is designed to address the unique challenges faced by small development teams and includes small acquisition-type buyouts of existing games. We also offer a sliding scale of investment funds, ranging from long-term full-service funding to smaller-scale finishing funds and project-specific funds for porting or marketing.
If you're interested in working with us, send us information about your game, your IP, your vision, and what you need to succeed via email to contact@digitalbandidos.com.
About Digital Bandidos
Digital Bandidos, established in 2024 by Steve Escalante and Lance James, leverages decades of combined experience in indie and AAA game publishing to empower independent game developers and their creations. Focusing on fostering connections between players and unique gaming experiences, the company is committed to nurturing creative visions, cultivating thriving communities, and delivering exceptional games to a global audience.
For Media Inquiries:
Email: press@digitalbandidos.com
Website: https://digitalbandidos.com
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