- Hello all,
This is the third time 34BigThings is being born.
The first time is a story we’ve talked about extensively in the past, possibly because it’s been 13 years.
The second time was when 34BigThings was acquired by the Embracer Group in November 2020. We didn’t feel the need to communicate much on the topic at the time; after all, we thought, “This is a great chance to just focus on making games.”
If you’ve followed the gamedev ecosystem over the last six years, the next part won’t surprise you. We were put under the guidance of Saber Interactive and were asked to scale up, to absorb more and bigger productions. Then, the business of making games became risky and costly. Through it all, we managed to stay afloat without slashing our workforce. Saber left. Embracer split. Natural spells of radio silence, shifting priorities, and changing contact points followed. Through this, we managed to concept, prototype, develop, wrap up, and launch Carmageddon: Rogue Shift AND something else that is almost ready (more on this later).
The third time we’re being born as a company is today. Well, not exactly today: this technically happened in April, but it’s much more dramatic this way.
Behold, the full announcement:
The following is the official statement from the 34BigThings team on the new ownership structure of the studio, with original Founder Valerio Di Donato re-acquiring 100% of the company as of April 17, 2026.
“34BigThings was born as an indie studio and has always remained indie at heart, guided by a simple philosophy: ‘We make games we love to play,’” says Founder Valerio Di Donato.
“By joining the Embracer Group in 2020, 34BigThings gained a secure platform that allowed us to scale to a mighty team of 70+, establishing us as an acclaimed force in the European development scene. This provided us with invaluable structure and stability, while offering a first-hand look at the complexities of balancing internal development with external stakeholders. Through this journey, we have cultivated deep, hands-on experience in managing world-class IPs and navigating complex global production pipelines, witnessing firsthand how business operations can be conducted within small and large teams, within a single entity and across multiple studios.
This is a level of experience we now bring to the next phase of our journey. By returning to a privately held, founder-owned structure, we are able to operate with greater focus and agility. We are well positioned to build direct, ambitious partnerships with global publishers and investors.”
Following the transition, the studio will be led by Head of Studio and original co-founder Giuseppe Enrico Franchi, together with a streamlined Board of Directors consisting of Valerio Di Donato and CFO Daniel Giagnorio.
“Since our inception in 2013, we have felt part of a rising, unstoppable tide. We were good and lucky enough to be part of a golden age of indie devs,” says Giuseppe Enrico Franchi. “Returning to full independence gives us absolute autonomy to shape our structure, our projects, and our development approach. It’s refreshing to be steering our own ship once more.”
“This new chapter will begin with an absolute bang. Later this year, we will be announcing a major title built on one of the most important, beloved, and revered intellectual properties in the world. And that’s just the start: our production pipeline is fully charged, with another major title scheduled for 2027 followed by another groundbreaking project slated for 2028.”
It all started as a post-degree dream in a living room. We have conquered so much, but what drives us today is the same ambition and curiosity. 34BigThings is back where it belongs, and we are ready for our next big step.
WHOA THAT’S BIG NEWS.
Why yes, we are 34BigThings. We love big news, big projects, and BIG things, like:
- The sheer amount of confidence it takes to press the big green “Publish” button on your first, second, third game – that feeling doesn’t fade with time.
- The amount of fear when a QA yells “we have a problem” from across the room right after you push said button (true, unscripted real-life story).
- The Moon (you can race on it in Redout).
- The ways we’re restructuring our inner workings. We have learned a thing or two from the last years. We never shy away from the process of learning from our mistakes, and at the same time, we love to experiment with new stuff. So yeah, as the press release says, we’re cooking.
Speaking of which, the last big things of the list is:
The next title we’re going to announce SOON™. Seriously, it’s one of the largest IPs in the world.
Thanks to everyone who has stuck with us for all these years: our incredible staff, our fellow devs and studios, our community, and especially the players.
This is 34BigThings, version 3.0!
– Giuseppe Enrico Franchi, Head of Studio
