Indie DS horror game The Ward gets a publisher: three guesses who

7:24 PM on 06.04.2007   |   David Houghton

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The momentum of Gamecock's bid to become the poultry-based publisher of choice for off-kilter, independent odd-mongers everywhere earns them their third Dtoid mention in a week, with today's announcement of a new DS signing.

You might remember Nick's report back in March on Renegade Kid's in-development horror title The Ward, which while a bit rough around the edges in places, seemed to be coming along rather nicely despite its lack of publisher. Now however, it's merely coming along rather nicely, as Gamecock has stepped in and given it a home.

It's a pleasing development, without doubt. A title like Dementium: The Ward, as it's now known, would seriously benefit from having its developer free to run wild. No horror game ever benefitted from a subdued and restrained approach, and whether Renegade Kid exaggerated its desire to be "pushing the Nintendo DS to its limit" or not a couple of months ago, Gamecock don't exactly seem to be the sort of people to tell them to calm down. 

Those sentiments are reflected in the press release which you can find after the jump. Here's hoping all of this good will turns out to be justified come release day. 

[Via Kotaku]

Renegade Kid Signs With Gamecock Media Group

New Development House Creating "Dementium: The Ward" - Survival Horror FPS for Nintendo DS

Cockpit, Austin, Texas - June 4, 2007 - Renegade Kid today announced that they will be working with Gamecock Media Group to launch their first title - Dementium: The Ward for the Nintendo DS™. Dementium: The Ward combines action-adventure, first-person shooter and survival horror into one nightmarish experience. Pushing the limits of the Nintendo DS with full 3D visuals, this "next generation" title will set the bar for mature handheld games.

"Renegade Kid is looking to move above and beyond what most games are attempting on the DS, and with Gamecock we've found a publisher who is supportive, developer friendly, and willing to give us the freedom to create the game we want," said Jools Watsham, Owner and Creative Director of Renegade Kid. "Dementium showcases what a powerful piece of hardware the DS is, while drawing in a mature crowd that's looking for a title they can really sink their teeth into."

"From the first meeting, Renegade Kid have proven themselves to be innovative, unafraid to push the 'norms' of gaming and incredibly talented - all of which we think are the key characteristics of a great developer," said Harry Miller, Head of Development of Gamecock Media Group. "It's great when you can sit down with a developer who shares the same vision of where games should be going in creating new and exciting titles to offer an alternative to the bland remakes and sequels flooding stores today."

Dementium: The Ward tells the tale of a man who awakens to find himself alone in a mysterious, derelict hospital that is frozen in time. Confronted by the deadly, grotesque surgical experiments that wander the halls, a series of challenging puzzles and a cast of peculiar characters, he must face his deepest fears, unlock the mysteries of the hospital, and escape with his life. A completely new experience on the Nintendo DS, Dementium promises to creep you out with gory visuals and bone-chilling audio that brings the world screaming to life.

About Renegade Kid
Founded in 2007 and located in Austin, Texas; Renegade Kid was formed by a small group of industry veterans, each with over 11 years of experience in the development of video-game software. For more please visit www.renegadekid.com.

About Gamecock Media Group
Based in Austin, Texas, Gamecock Media Group offers a welcome solution to the bloated and originality-starved video game industry. A well-funded, independent, artist-driven company, Gamecock favors the most innovative and original video game developers in the industry. Publishing games for all platforms, Gamecock offers its developers a high degree of participation, freedom and financial incentives, allowing them to perform and create to their utmost ability. For more, please visit www.gamecockmedia.com.