In February, Team17 Group PLC will have changed its name to Everplay Group PLC.
The rebrand, according to the announcement, is a “key mechanism” that only affects its brand identity. Team17 as a developer, publisher, and game label will retain its name, as will the simulation-focused Astragon Entertainment (Police Simulator) and the edutainment maker StoryToys.
Likewise, the core goal of becoming a “global indie powerhouse” remains the same. So why the change? CEO Steve Bell said it better reflects how the company’s business has “evolved greatly” since its IPO in 2018 and “our DNA to never stop playing.”
As its three divisions focus on their individual specialities, Everplay will prioritize back catalog sales through “prioritizing our portfolio and evergreen franchises.” It’ll also allow for greater cross-collaboration, both internally and “across complementary sectors within the broader indie market.”
What’s in a game company’s name?
Recent years have seen game developers and publishers rebrand, either with wholly new names or ones that better reflect what they make. For example, Focus Entertainment changed its name to Pullup Entertainment in January 2024, and like with Everplay, the change only affected what it was called.
Conversely, 343 Industries becoming Halo Studios last October came with the studio committing to using Unreal Engine for future Halo projects. Similarly, Gearbox Publishing SF revamped as Arc Games when it remained with Embracer after Gearbox proper was acquired by Take-Two Interactive.
Sometimes, a game itself will undergo a full-on rebrand: IO Interactive folded its three Hitman reboot games into Hitman: World of Assassination, which has since gained 75 million global players following its new name.