Big Fan to Develop Games Based on Rebellion Owned Comic IP including 2000 AD and More
July 19, 2023
SAN FRANCISCO & OXFORD (July 19, 2023) – Big Fan, a Devolver Digital label, and Rebellion (Sniper Elite) have entered into a groundbreaking partnership for Big Fan to develop and publish video game adaptations based on stories from the beloved 2000 AD universe, the home of Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, ABC Warrior and more, as well as Rebellion’s other comic IP, including Roy of the Rovers and Battle Action.
Though Big Fan has been producing games since 2011 with runaway hits like Monster Train and the Transport Fever franchise, the label has seen strong growth in the adaptation space in recent years propelling the label’s new dawn of marrying top-class, worldwide publishing services with sought-after entertainment brands like John Wick Hex and Hellboy.
“We are huge fans of Rebellion and 2000 AD” said Amanda Kruse, head of business development and publishing for Big Fan. “It’s still early days, but building this out with partners who understand the art of adaptation across mediums has been incredible. We are excited to bring fans the hits they are expecting, but even more excited to play with the deep cuts in the library.”
Rebellion is the custodian and rights holder for a huge number of the British comics created throughout history. Alongside the legendary Judge Dredd, Rebellion owns iconic British comics characters like footballing legend Roy of the Rovers, the original action detective Sexton Blake, supervillain-turned-hero The Spider - famously written by Superman co-creator Jerry Seigel, Romans-in-space epic The Trigan Empire, Alan Moore's celebrated heroine Halo Jones and it also contains incredible curiosities such as Gorillaz artist Jamie Hewlett's surreal graphic novel collaboration Hewligan's Haircut.
With comics from throughout the history of the medium, Rebellion's catalog features countless characters and strips from every genre; from sci-fi, sports, westerns, war, espionage, horror and mystery to adventure, humour, historical, super-heroes and villains, and dozens more.
“We are honored to be the foremost custodians of the rich history of the British comics industry, and as we aim to preserve these legacies. Rebellion is proud to bring these stories to entirely new generations who will experience them for the first time through our partnership with Big Fan,” said Jason Kingsley OBE, CEO and co-founder of Rebellion. “My brother Chris (co-founder of Rebellion) and I have read 2000 AD from issue 1, and we look forward to seeing some of these stories brought to life with Big Fan.”
The new agreement includes game adaptations of stories from 2000 AD, the long running beloved comic anthology purchased by Rebellion in 2000. 2000 AD has published countless iconic stories in comics, such as Sláine, Judge Dredd and Rogue Trooper, and is currently on issue number 2,334.
Judge Dredd first appeared in the second-ever issue of 2000 AD in 1977 and his appearance would kickstart a massive, globally recognized franchise spanning two films (Judge Dredd, 1995, and Dredd 2012), five video games and numerous novels.
Rogue Trooper first appeared in 2000 AD in 1981, portraying the adventures of a Genetic Infantryman named Rogue as he searched for the Traitor General. These bloody, sci-fi adventures have turned Rogue Trooper into a recognized franchise featuring three novels, two board games and three video games, including 2006’s Rogue Trooper developed by Rebellion for PC, Xbox, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii.
For more information about Big Fan, visit www.goodshepherd.games or hit them up on Twitter @GoodShepherdEnt and join the Discord here https://discord.com/invite/goodshepherdgames.
To learn more about Rebellion, visit www.rebellion.com, follow them on Twitter @rebellion, and join the Discord at https://discord.com/invite/rebellion.
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THE REBELLION NAME AND LOGO AND ALL ASSOCIATED NAMES AND LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS OF REBELLION AND MAY BE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS IN CERTAIN COUNTRIES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
About Big Fan
Big Fan’s mission is to pair world-class developers with beloved IP, giving them unprecedented access to create memorable and impactful game adaptations in fan-favorite worlds. Through strategic partnerships with some of the industry’s most notable names, including Lionsgate, Dark Horse, Disney, MGM, and Epic, GSE leverages publishing resources on a global scale to punch above its weight. Notable games and franchises published by Big Fan include John Wick Hex, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, the Hard West series, Monster Train, and the Transport Fever franchise, and the upcoming Hellboy Web of Wyrd. Get in touch at www.goodshepherd.games
About Rebellion
Founded in 1992, Rebellion is one of the world’s most successful independent studios. Its flagship Sniper Elite series is renowned for its authentic stealth and sniping gameplay with more than 20 million players worldwide. The latest game in the franchise, Sniper Elite 5, was released in May 2022 to critical acclaim. 2000 AD is synonymous with the absolute finest in British comic book art. With the acquisition of a $100m film studio and the world’s largest archive of English language comics, Rebellion continues to grow from strength to strength.
Rebellion now operates across books, comics, TV and film, but at its core it’s still a leading developer and publisher of games. Whether it’s the breath-taking intensity of the Sniper Elite, the face-hugging terror of Aliens vs. Predator or the grindhouse frenzy of the Zombie Army series, the Oxford-based studio is revered for creating stand-out games designed to thrill.
