Acclaim Entertainment returns to 'support indie developers and reignite classic franchises'

Another old name has returned. Acclaim Entertainment that was originally founded in 1987 has relaunched, with a plan to bring back some classic games as well as new indie games.

They're a name I've not heard of in a long time, after filing for bankruptcy in 2004. They were previously involved with titles like Burnout, Mortal Kombat, Alien Trilogy, Turok and NBA Jam. It will be interesting to see what classics they bring back, as well as what indie developers they will pick to fund. The industry is having a tough time right now, so hopefully this opens up some opportunities for more developers.

According to the press release the leadership and board "spans the entertainment industry—licensing icons, professional athletes, living music legends and seasoned veterans". One such name is wrestler Jeff Jarrett: "For more than three decades, I've had the privilege to have been a part of both the wrestling and gaming universes, and I'm thrilled to now be a partner in the revival of Acclaim, an iconic publisher known for releasing some of the most legendary games of the ‘80s and ‘90s," said Jarrett. "From my early involvement with the publisher’s hit 16-bit WWF titles to my experience helping shape the TNA Wrestling series, which spawned the first video game wrestler to become a full-time roster member in the Squared Circle, I've seen firsthand the type of impact great games can have on players and fans. Resurrecting Acclaim is an opportunity to impart the same degree of passion and love to a new generation, and I'm excited to be involved."

They've also pulled in industry veteran Alex Josef to lead as CEO, who has worked in various places across the industry, including previously leading Graffiti Games: "It’s an absolute honor and pleasure to be leading the charge in bringing Acclaim back to the forefront of the games industry," said Josef, "We’re fortunate that we have an extremely talented team and that we’ve already signed some incredible indie titles, which we’ll be revealing soon."

You can follow them on their refreshed website.