Industry Shift: Brotato’s Post-Launch Development Handed to Evil Empire, Signaling Major Content Injection

Paris, France – September 29, 2025 – In a significant move that underscores the viability of the live-service model for indie hits, Blobfish Games, the original developer of the multi-million-selling arena shooter roguelike, Brotato, has officially entrusted its post-launch development to Evil Empire. The studio, famously known for its extensive and critically acclaimed contributions to the longevity of Dead Cells, is set to usher in a new era of content and quality-of-life (QoL) updates for the title across all major platforms: PC, console, and mobile.

This strategic handover allows the Blobfish Games team, led by CEO Thomas Gervraud, to pivot toward developing new, innovative projects while ensuring that the thriving Brotato community continues to receive the high-quality support it expects. The transition has been made under the direct supervision of Blobfish, maintaining creative continuity and protecting the game’s core identity. This is a clear indicator of a mature indie game development ecosystem where successful titles can achieve extended lifecycles through specialized, dedicated development partners, optimizing for long-term community engagement.

Evil Empire’s Proven Track Record: A Testament to Roguelike Longevity

The selection of Evil Empire is a massive vote of confidence and a major win for Brotato fans. The studio was originally founded by former Motion Twin developers with the express purpose of supporting and evolving successful games, a role they mastered with the extensive, years-long support for Dead Cells, including the monumental “Return to Castlevania” DLC. This track record suggests a deep understanding of the roguelike genre and the nuanced balancing required to introduce new content without causing content bloat or compromising the original game’s finely tuned difficulty curve.

Thomas Gervraud, CEO and founder of Blobfish Games, expressed his enthusiasm in a press release: “I’m excited to see how the game evolves under the direction of such a talented team and what fresh perspectives they’ll bring to the table. Above all, though, I’m just eager to dive back in and have fun playing Brotato again.” This sentiment highlights a seamless, cooperative transition designed to benefit the player base directly.

The New Dawn: First Major Update and Core QoL Additions

Evil Empire wasted no time in unveiling their roadmap, which commenced with a small initial update and has culminated in the release of the first significant content drop, the “New Dawn” Update, which hit PC platforms in late October 2025 (with console and mobile versions to follow in approximately one month, targeting Q1 2026 parity).

• The Ban System: A feature highly requested by the community, the Ban system allows players to remove up to eight non-weapon items from the draw pool during a run. This enhancement significantly increases build synergy and player agency, deepening the strategic depth of the game and appealing to the highly competitive high-Danger-level player base. The Ban system is unlocked after successfully completing a run at Danger 3 or higher.
• New Content Infusion: The update introduces six new items (including the strategic Hourglass and Ghost Outfit), and a new weapon, the Vorpal Sword, which boasts a unique one-shot mechanic, expanding the already vast array of meta-defining builds.
• Cross-Platform Expansion: Crucially for the PC player base, the “New Dawn” update introduced official support for Mac and Linux versions, broadening the game’s digital distribution reach.
• Save Management and Codex: Additional save profiles have been added, and a new Codex feature now tracks enemy kills and item information, a major QoL boost for completionists and those seeking a deeper understanding of the game’s mechanics.

Financial and Strategic Implications: A Blueprint for Indie Success

For the gaming industry at large, this partnership is a fascinating case study in post-launch strategy. By handing over the maintenance and expansion of a successful title, Blobfish can allocate its resources to new intellectual property, thereby maximizing long-term revenue streams and reducing the risk of developer burnout. Evil Empire, in turn, secures a high-performing title for its portfolio, promising a continuous stream of free updates and periodic paid DLC expansions, mirroring the proven model that propelled Dead Cells to enduring commercial success. The commitment to releasing content updates for consoles and mobile, overcoming common cross-platform certification delays, is a key factor in maximizing global revenue and player retention.

Furthermore, Evil Empire has explicitly addressed community fears of “bloat” and the introduction of intrusive microtransactions, committing to a development ethos that prioritizes meaningful additions and balancing. They have even provided a “Legacy” branch on Steam, allowing players to roll back to the pre-Evil Empire version—a rare but highly appreciated gesture that places player choice and consumer trust at the forefront of their strategy.

The New Dawn update is merely the first taste of what appears to be a long and prosperous partnership. The integration of community feedback, the focus on high-impact features like the Ban system, and the experience of the Evil Empire team position Brotato to evolve from a surprise indie hit into a true perennial favorite in the fiercely competitive auto-shooter and roguelike genres.

Analyst Summary: Why This Brotato Move is High-Value

• Talent Synergy: Evil Empire’s experience with Dead Cells guarantees competent, high-quality roguelike content and balancing.
• Monetization Model: The strategy favors frequent free updates paired with occasional, substantial paid DLC, a proven method for sustained ARPU (Average Revenue Per User).
• Player Trust: The immediate implementation of community-requested QoL (Ban System, Save Slots) and the provision of a Legacy branch build immense goodwill and brand loyalty.

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