Lost In Cult, the studio best known for its Design Works art books, is making its official leap into video game publishing. Announced today, the company is introducing a new label dedicated to premium physical editions, focusing on preservation and curation.
The first trio of releases includes a BAFTA-nominated comedy, a narrative-heavy experimental film, and a critically acclaimed horror adventure, each offered on Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 5:
- Thank Goodness You’re Here! (Switch/PS5)
- IMMORTALITY (PS5)
- The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow (Switch)
Each title will be released in two formats: wide retail editions for accessibility and high-end EDITIONS for collectors. All games are printed complete on disc or cart, and no downloads or internet connection will be required.
Lost In Cult is also the first publisher to collaborate directly with preservation group DoesItPlay?, ensuring each release is fully playable offline and carrying the group’s official approval badge.
The limited-run EDITIONS will feature an exclusive outer slipcase with original artwork, a retail case with variant cover, a signature card, art cards, a fold-out poster and checklist, a custom sticker, and a booklet curated by former Edge Magazine writer Chris Schilling. These editions will ship in collectible mailer boxes with seasonal artwork variations and are limited to between 1,000 and 5,000 units per release.
Retail versions will be distributed globally by PM Studio, the team behind physical releases of Black Myth: Wukong and others. All EDITIONS will be sold exclusively through Lost In Cult’s website.
Comments
IMMORTALITY developer Sam Barlow said the following:
Collaborating with Lost in Cult has been nothing short of a delight — their attention to detail and their drive to keep adding more and more to everything they put out is evident in the quality of what they release.
Each new treasure they create feels like a genuine companion piece, not just a ‘nice to have.’ The most common request we’ve had since releasing IMMORTALITY has been for a physical edition, but we always knew that if we did do it, we’d need to do it right — and so, working with Lost in Cult on this amazing new series was a no brainer!
IMMORTALITY producer Natalie Watson said the following:
As the world around feels more and more impermanent, physical media seems even more essential.
With that in mind, ensuring that IMMORTALITY could be assured of its own immortality was of utmost importance to the team, and we are so grateful to have worked with Lost in Cult to make that happen.
Lost in Cult’s Head of Publishing, Ryan Brown, said the following:
We’re being bold. I can unashamedly say we set out to create a new standard for physical games.
And this is a multi-faceted mission. Our EDITIONS are designed to preserve not just the game, but the story and artistry behind its creation. At the same time, our retail releases ensure no one is locked out of owning great games physically, giving everyone a chance to play their favourites for the decades to come, internet connection willing or not.
DoesItPlay? owner Clemens Istel said the following:
Working with Lost In Cult is a match made in gaming heaven for us. We’re proud to apply our knowledge and experience in quality-testing, having tested over 2600 titles, with a company that matches our vision on game preservation and also sees video games as art.
We work tirelessly to ensure these fantastic experiences remain accessible now and always. Aligning with Lost In Cult’s mission to provide the best physical games publishing to date is now the next step in our efforts to ensure quality physical releases that stand the test of time and make developers and players equally proud.
The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow designer Shaun Aitcheson of Cloak and Dagger Games said the following:
We are beyond thrilled and honoured to be part of Lost in Cult’s physical launch line-up – alongside two games we genuinely love.
It had long been our dream to release a physical Switch version of The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow, but every avenue we had investigated ended up coming to nothing. I decided to issue one final tweet, in the hope that someone out there might help us make it happen – and that someone was Lost in Cult. It has been an immense pleasure working closely with their team to craft something very special indeed – the end result is a beautiful physical release truly beyond our wildest dreams. The art that has been created for this release genuinely blows my mind.
In an era where games are becoming increasingly ‘digital only’, Lost in Cult is doing wonders for the future preservation of indie games – and we are so proud to be a part of this.
