Slitherine, known for its work on series like Panzer Corps and Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector, has taken over the publishing rights for the Blood Bowl series. These rights were previously held by Nacon, which recently filed for insolvency, casting uncertainty over the future of the games. This acquisition includes the ongoing development of Blood Bowl 3.
Developers Cyanide, who created Blood Bowl 3, had previously outlined plans to update the game to align with the latest tabletop rules and re-release it as Warhammer Blood Bowl. While this plan was delayed, it is now expected to proceed under Slitherine's stewardship.
Marco Minoli, Slitherine's director of publishing, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "We have enormous respect for what Cyanide has built over the years, and we're excited to continue working closely with the team to support and grow the series together with its passionate community." Cyanide's CEO, Patrick Pligersdorffer, echoed this sentiment, adding, "We are delighted to partner with Slitherine to ensure the future of the Blood Bowl videogames. Slitherine has proven its expertise, publishing high-quality strategy games. We believe it is a perfect match."
Blood Bowl 3 launched with significant issues, including prevalent bugs, a microtransaction system that frustrated players, and a live-service approach. Despite subsequent updates addressing some of the more critical problems, the game's user interface remains difficult to navigate, leading many players to return to its predecessor, Blood Bowl 2, for a more stable experience. The continued development by Cyanide under Slitherine's publishing promises a new direction for the franchise.