After more than two decades of silence, Acclaim is making a shocking return to gaming, bringing back classic titles and supporting indie developers.
Founded in 1987 and known for publishing Mortal Kombat, Turok and Double Dragon in the 1980s and ’90s, Acclaim is returning after 21 years since its closure to support indie developers and reintroduce its classic titles. While supporting indie developers, the publisher will provide funding, marketing and public relations support to help developers fulfill their creative vision and share it with gamers.
Acclaim was a well-known publisher and developer from the 1980s to the late 1990s. It published Mortal Kombat 1-3, NBA Jam and WWF games, and developed the Turok franchise. However, in 2004, the company shut down due to financial struggles, cancelling many games in production. But after 21 years, Acclaim is returning to the gaming industry.
As Acclaim rises again, it has recruited industry leaders such as Russell Binder of Striker Entertainment, Mark Caplan of Ridge Partners and Jeff Jarrett of Global Force Entertainment to revive its beloved intellectual property portfolio for veteran and new gamers alike. Additionally, Phil Toronto, partner at VaynerFund, and Eric Vogel, partner at JET Management, will assist with the publishing team’s investment and management.
With leadership and a board spanning various entertainment industries—including licensing icons, professional athletes, music legends and seasoned veterans who have influenced video games and pop culture—two-time Hall of Fame wrestler Jeff Jarrett shared how he plans to shape the future of Acclaim with his three decades of experience in sports entertainment and the video game industry.
Jarrett stated, “For more than three decades, I’ve had the privilege of being 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 1980s and ’90s.”
Jarrett expanded on his new partnership, sharing, “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 bring that same degree of passion and love to a new generation, and I’m excited to be involved.”
With more than two decades of experience in marketing and publishing games on PC, consoles and mobile, the new CEO of Acclaim, Alex Josef, stated, “It’s an absolute honour and pleasure to be leading the charge in bringing Acclaim back to the forefront of the game industry. We’re fortunate to have an extremely talented team and that we’ve already signed some incredible indie titles, which we’ll be revealing soon.”
As Acclaim returns to the gaming spotlight, veteran and new-generation gamers alike can visit the Acclaim website to learn more about the publisher as its new future unfolds.
