Five studios form developer-led holding Nova Assembly
Five independent game studios have announced the formation of Nova Assembly, a developer-led holding company aimed at strengthening the independent game development landscape through shared resources and expertise.
The alliance comprises Unfrozen (known for Iratus: Lord of the Dead), Sad Cat Studios (Replaced), VEA Games (Nikoderiko: The Magical World), Weappy (the This is Police series), and mobile developer Game Garden. Together, the studios have ten games currently in development.
Nova Assembly’s inaugural release will be Sad Cat Studios’ platformer Replaced, launching on April 14, 2026. Beyond this title, the holding company plans to establish its own publishing division to manage marketing, distribution, and direct audience engagement across its portfolio—a move that allows the member studios to maintain creative independence while gaining the operational infrastructure typically provided by traditional publishers.
The formation of Nova Assembly reflects broader industry trends toward developer-led consolidation, where independent studios seek to amplify their collective voice and resources without sacrificing the creative autonomy that defines indie development. By pooling expertise across multiple studios, the group hopes to achieve better distribution reach, shared knowledge on platform optimization and player engagement, and mutual support during development.
The co-founders shared their vision in an open letter emphasizing each studio’s commitment to supporting one another’s creative endeavors while building a more sustainable ecosystem for independent developers. This model contrasts with traditional publisher acquisition, which often results in creative homogenization and loss of studio identity.