Publishing Agreement Renewal/Console Rights Relinquishment for Shank Series

[rocketman732]

Hello fellow gamers. I am trying to get in contact with the Studio Team to get the indie game known as "Shank" re-listed in console stores.

It was delisted from consoles back in July 2018 due to the Publishing Agreement between the publisher EA and the developer Klei Entertainment expiring.

I am hoping to appeal for a renewal of the Publishing Agreement or relinquishment of the console rights back to Klei Entertainment. They stated that they weren't going to do anything with "Shank", due to legal reasons.

Klei Entertainment said they would let everyone know if anything changes, to date I am not aware that has occurred. The developer managed to acquire the rights for the Steam version but alas not the console version.

For reasons unknown, they didn't bother to push further to get the full rights back, which seems strange because it was their game in the first place. And now, since the game has been delisted, anyone who has wanted to buy the game on console have found out that it is no longer available.

In my opinion, this is a mistake, currently, the only new players that can enjoy the game are Steam Users and unfortunately not everyone has a computer with the minimum standards required to run the game, I am hoping that if the console rights are relinquished back to Klei Entertainment then there will be an opportunity that "Shank" and its sequel, "Shank 2" will make an appearance on current consoles, such as the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Now I'll be honest, playing an indie classic like "Shank" on the Switch would be amazing. I mostly play on PS4 and I would pay some decent money to play the "Shank" series on current consoles.

It is my hope that EA will either renew the Publishing Agreement so the first "Shank" can reappear on console stores, or relinquish the console rights of the entire "Shank" series so that it may have the opportunity to be offered on current consoles.

[EA_Blueberry]

We are not aware of any plans to re-list it but appreciate your support for the game! Keep in mind that Microsoft and Sony have a large say in what they decide to put up on their online marketplaces so be sure to send your thoughts on this in their direction as well.

[rocketman732]

I understand Sony and Microsoft play a big role in what products go on their digital stores. However they have no control over when stuff gets removed. The removal of Shank is a problem belonging to EA and Klei Entertainment.

The game can't get relisted because the publishing agreement between EA and Klei Entertainment expired last year. So unless EA renews the agreement or relinquishes the console rights back to Klei Entertainment; all the customers that were going to purchase the game on console will be unable to do so, because of the actions of both EA and Klei Entertainment respectively.

I would like the head of the Studio Team for EA and the entire team to re-consider this decision, and I'm hoping by way of this forum that they know that there are many gamers including myself that are passionate about finding a way to resolve this and find a solution that works for everyone.