If New Blood had made Dusk 2, there’d be no Iron Lung, ‘and now David Szymanski has got a movie that made $50 million’—so maybe there’s wisdom in not churning out sequels
New Blood Interactive’s Dave Oshry has outlined the studio’s philosophy against the industry’s conventional sequel strategy. Rather than milking hit games like Ultrakill, the publisher-developer uses profits to fund entirely new ventures. “I think a lot of studios would have a big hit like Ultrakill,” Oshry explains, “and then they would maybe open a big office, or just milk the shit out of Ultrakill and do Ultrakill spinoffs, or use that money to make sequels.” Instead, New Blood invests in fresh projects.
This approach has enabled the creation of games like Iron Lung, which wouldn’t have existed if New Blood had committed resources to developing Dusk 2. The strategy represents a departure from mainstream industry practice, which typically maximizes returns on proven franchises through sequels and extended universes.
The headline references David Szymanski and a recent film project valued at $50 million, suggesting that New Blood’s unconventional investment approach may yield unexpected successes beyond traditional gaming revenue streams. By prioritizing innovation and new IPs over franchise exploitation, New Blood demonstrates that sustainable studio growth doesn’t require churning out endless sequels—a philosophy that appears increasingly validated by market results.