“We’ve been proud to have Curve Games, a multi-award-winning publisher of great indie games, within our group,” said Catalis Group chair Shaon Baylay in a press release announcing the acquisition. “However, we know that they will take their successes to a new level as part of Nazara Technologies. We are grateful for the contribution of the Curve Games team, and we wish them well on the next stage of their journey.”

As part of the acquisition, Nazara is now also the parent company for developers under Curve Games – Brighton, UK-based Runner Duck and IronOak Games from Vancouver, Canada. Nazara also seemingly doesn’t have plans to make any changes to personnel as of yet, with Curve Games continuing to operate out of its London office. In-house leadership is also staying on.

“This deal is a perfect fit,” said Curve Games executive chairman Stuart Dinsey. “We’re joining a group that lives and breathes games and tech, including mobile, where we’ve barely scratched the surface. With Nazara, we will build on our strengths across console and PC, staying true to our indie spirit. It’s still about great games, great studios, and great players. Our next chapter starts here.”

This latest acquisition is the second one by Nazara of a UK-based company. Back in 2024, the company had also acquired Fusebox Games, which primarily made smartphone games based on licenses from reality TV shows. Games under Fusebox’s catalogue include Love Island The Game and Love Villa.

“Curve’s proven publishing expertise and strong track record with indie studios make them a perfect fit for Nazara’s vision in premium gaming,” said Nazara CEO Nitish Mittersain. “This acquisition not only brings valuable IP, global market access, and a highly experienced team into our fold – it also reflects our broader strategy of doubling down on core gaming. We’re committed to scaling high-quality game IPs, investing in new development, and supporting passionate indie creators as we build a global gaming powerhouse from India.”

The acquisition has seemingly been part of Nazara’s plans to expand its holdings in the gaming industry. The company has previously stated that it has earmarked a fund valued at $100 million that it will use for this goal.

The last game released by Curve Games was the Runner Duck-developed Badlands Crew. The game is the third entry in the studio’s Crew series, and was released on PC (via Steam) back in April. It revolves around players creating and customising a land-based vehicle with weaponry and appropriate supporting equipment that would allow them to take on the challenges presented by an the unforgiving Badlands.

Curve has also published other popular titles, such as single-player action adventure game Dungeons of Hinterberg, which is available on PC and Xbox Series X/S.

As Luisa, players venture to the town while on vacation. There are 25 unique dungeons, and you’ll navigate different puzzles, take on monsters in real-time combat, and learn more about them. You can interact with various characters at night, building bonds and unlocking new perks.

Not every citizen offers combat benefits, so choose your time wisely. Of course, there’s also an abundance of clothing to unlock and customize your look. For those who clear it quickly enough, New Game Plus is also available, with options to choose what carries over.

Dungeons of Hinterberg is also available for Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Xbox One alongside Game Pass. PS5 players can look forward to DualSense support, though Curve Games and developer Microbird Games have yet to provide more information.

Dungeons of Hinterberg will be launching for PS5 and PS4 on March 13, it has been announced, with wishlisting now available on the PlayStation Store. Its sparse PS Store listing doesn’t give much away by way of information, but it does confirm that the game will feature support for DualSense features on PS5, as you would have expected.

Dungeons of Hinterberg is currently available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. It’s also available via Game Pass and Steam Deck Verified for those looking to play on the go. The action RPG follows Luisa, who ventures to the town of Hinterberg to explore its dungeons.

Don’t underestimate the power of a Playcation! Dungeons of Hinterberg comes to PlayStation on March 13th! 💙 pic.twitter.com/DPqJfzrzxt

— Dungeons of Hinterberg – OUT NOW! (@MicrobirdGames) February 6, 2025

The showcase will include new announcements and updates on the following upcoming titles. DON’T NOD is confirmed, which means we’ll likely see more of Lost Records: Bloom and Rage. Similarly, 11 bit studios will appear so its sci-fi social survival title The Alters is likely to show up. Other confirmed studios include Raw Fury, Team17, and Curve Games. You can find a full list below.

Meanwhile, IGN’s post also confirms that the showcase will reveal Balatro’s next big collaboration DLC.

As per leaks, a State of Play presentation and a Nintendo Direct focused on upcoming Switch 1 games are also allegedly coming this month. The next few weeks are thus likely to be packed with new announcements. Stay tuned for more updates.

List of studios confirmed for ID@Xbox Showcase:

• 11 bit studios
• BigFan
• Critical Reflex
• Daedalic Entertainment
• Game Source Entertainment
• No More Robots
• Panic
• Playstack
• Raw Fury
• Cult Games
• Team17
• Curve Games
• Akapura
• DON’T NOD
  

The story focuses on Luisa, who ventures to the titular fictitious tourist spot to conquer some dungeons. It’s a seemingly rough start, but eventually, she sets out to explore various dungeons and conquer their threats. Hinterberg is incredibly scenic and offers plenty of traversal methods, from snowboarding to mountain climbing.

Of course, the dungeons also have their share of puzzles to solve. Luisa can also bond with the locals, learning new abilities. Between fire breath, a rain of projectiles, beams and a spinning attack, there are plenty of options for combat.

Also, for those keen on playing Dungeons of Hinterberg on the go, it’s officially verified for Steam Deck. Head here for more details, and stay tuned for updates.

Taking to Twitter, the developer announced that Dungeons of Hinterberg is now officially Steam Deck Verified, which, of course, means the game has been given the tag from Valve that certifies that it is fully and completely optimized for the portable device. Those who were looking to do some dungeon crawling and virtual relaxation in the game’s recreation of the Austrian Alps on the go are going to be able to do so.

Dungeons of Hinterberg is due out later this week, on July 18, for Xbox Series X/S and PC. It will also be available for Game Pass (though not all tiers, courtesy of the service’s recent changes) upon release.

We are officially Steam Deck Verified! #steam #steamdeck #indiegames pic.twitter.com/zcVbAvDCOU

— Dungeons of Hinterberg (@MicrobirdGames) July 15, 2024

Primarily, Dungeons of Hinterberg’s newest trailer focuses on showing the variety of Zelda-like puzzles that players will encounter in its dungeons, and the abilities you’ll be using as you attempt to solve them and progress further in dungeons. Meanwhile, the action RPG’s striking cel-shaded aesthetic is also continuing to look like one of the game’s highlights. Check out the trailer below.

A release date has also been announced for Dungeons of Hinterberg. Previously given a Summer 2024 window, developer Microbird and publisher Curve Games have now announced that the game will launch for Xbox Series X/S and PC on July 18. It will also be available via Game Pass at launch.

The company says the showcase will feature “epic trailers, fresh gameplay, and new reveals”, in addition to updates on a number of previously announced upcoming indie titles. That will include Microbird Games’ social sim action RPG Dungeons of Hinterberg and Don’t Nod’s narrative adventure game Lost Records: Bloom and Rage, among “many others.”

At this point, it’s obligatory bring up Hollow Knight: Silksong and wonder whether Team Cherry’s long-awaited Metroidvania sequel will finally resurface with a release date announcement. Recently, the game got its official Xbox Store page, while it has also received age ratings in South Korea, Australia, and by the ESRB, suggesting an announcement could be imminent. Then again, many events have come and gone, with Silksong remaining as elusive as ever, so perhaps it’s best to temper expectations.

Alongside announcing the new release window, the new trailer also gives us a look at the game’s scenic setting of Hinterberg. Some of the locations showcased in the trailer include the peaks of Doberkogel, the forests of Hinterwald, the snowy Kolmstein, and the swamps at Brunnelsumpf.

The trailer also shows off some of the side activities that will be available in the town of Hinterberg, where players can take some time off to hit the bar with a friend, or even enjoy a movie.

Dungeons of Hinterberg was unveiled back in June 2023 during the Xbox Games Showcase at the time. The title revolves around protagonist Luisa, who goes to the village of Hinterberg, where the presence of magical dungeons has caused a growth in tourism.

Dungeons of Hinterberg is coming to PC and Xbox Series X/S. The game is also slated for release on PC and Xbox Game Pass on launch.

Chief among them is, of course, Forza Motorsport, the next instalment in Turn 10 Studios’ racing sim franchise (and the first in roughly six years), which, like all first party Xbox titles, will be available via Game Pass on PC, console, and cloud on the day that it releases, October 10.

Before that, on October 4, Fatshark’s acclaimed co-op first person shooter Warhammer 40,000: Darktide will also become available to subscribers on cloud and Xbox Series X/S, having already been available via PC Game Pass since November last year.

On October 12, Triangle Studios’ sci-fi co-op action game From Space will join the service on console, PC, and cloud, while on October 17, as announced recently, Like a Dragon: Ishin! – which launched earlier this year – will join the Game Pass catalog on console, PC, and cloud.

Meanwhile, starting today, The Lamplighters League and Gotham Knights have also joined the service, as previously revealed.