Jonathan Blow Unveils Order of the Sinking Star at The Game Awards 2025

The Game Awards is an annual, global awards show that recognizes creative and technical excellence in video games while also serving as a major platform for industry news, premieres, and cultural visibility. Founded and produced by journalist Geoff Keighley in 2014, the organization stages a televised and livestreamed ceremony that combines competitive awards (decided by a media jury and public voting), world-premiere game trailers, developer spotlights, celebrity appearances, and performances to spotlight the medium’s commercial and artistic achievements[1][2]. Historically, The Game Awards grew from Keighley’s long-form game journalism and event production background into what organizers describe as gaming’s flagship awards and promotional showcase; it assembled an advisory board of studio and platform executives to guide mission (without selecting winners) and expanded its global jury to include dozens of outlets[1][2]. Over the years the show has scaled its livestream audience—hitting record viewership milestones—and become a key calendar moment for publishers to debut trailers, updates, and release dates alongside award recognition[1]. Key achievements include establishing a widely watched, platform-agnostic livestream that reaches tens of millions worldwide and building credibility via a juried voting system paired with public voting, plus influential industry partnerships represented on its advisory board[1][2]. The event has also broadened category coverage to reflect accessibility, esports, and transmedia adaptation, signaling an expanded business and cultural remit[2][6]. Currently The Game Awards runs an annual December ceremony (Peacock Theater, Los Angeles in recent years) that continues to mix awards, premieres, and community engagement while remaining independently produced by Keighley’s team; the show’s model blends editorial juried selection (majority weight) with fan participation (minority weight)[5][2]. Notable aspects include its dual role as both awards validator and high-impact marketing stage for publishers, its founder-driven production ethos,

**Arc Games Inc. is an American video game publisher specializing in free-to-play MMORPGs, AA titles, and indie games, having recently achieved independence through a management buyout backed by XD Inc.**[1][2][3][7] Founded in 2008 in Redwood Shores, California, as **Perfect World Entertainment**, it served as the North American subsidiary of China's Perfect World Beijing, focusing on English-language versions of Asian free-to-play online games like *Perfect World International* (2008) and *Star Trek Online* (2010).[1][7] The company expanded by publishing titles such as *Neverwinter* (2013), *Torchlight II* (2012), and *Forsaken World* (2011), blending digital distribution with retail.[1] Key milestones include its 2021 acquisition by **Embracer Group**, rebranding to Arc Games (tied to its game launcher), and a brief stint as Gearbox Publishing San Francisco after Embracer's 2022 purchase of Gearbox—though it reverted to Arc Games in March 2024 when Gearbox moved to Take-Two Interactive.[1][2][5] Under Embracer, it broadened beyond MMORPGs to AA hits like *Remnant: From the Ashes* (2019), *Torchlight III* (2020), and *Remnant 2* (2023), plus indies such as *Have a Nice Death* (2022) and *Fellowship*.[1][2] In late 2025, **Arc Games became fully independent** after Embracer divested it (alongside Cryptic Studios) to streamline cash flow, enabling a management buyout with XD Inc. support.[2][3][4] CEO Im hailed it as a "major new chapter," poised for ambitious 2026 releases with global developer collaborations.[2] Today, Arc Game

Thekla, Inc. is an independent game studio led by designer Jonathan Blow that develops critically acclaimed, puzzle-focused videogames merging artistic design with technical precision.[1][4] The studio formed around Blow’s follow-up to Braid, The Witness, and grew as a collaboration of full‑time and contract developers to build that project and subsequent releases.[3][1] Thekla’s flagship title, The Witness (released 2016), is a first‑person puzzle exploration game that received wide praise for its visual design and challenging, elegantly structured puzzles; Blow reinvested profits from his earlier hit Braid into The Witness’s development, highlighting the studio’s indie‑funded, auteur approach to gamemaking.[1][3] Thekla later published projects including the Braid: Anniversary Edition (credited 2024), showing the studio’s continued involvement in both original work and preservation/updating of influential indie titles.[5] Historically, Thekla grew out of Jonathan Blow’s indie success and the collaborative team he assembled for The Witness, positioning the company as a small, artist-driven studio rather than a traditional commercial publisher.[3][4] Business profiles list Thekla as a small company (single‑digit to low‑double‑digit employees) with modest revenue typical of boutique developers, and identify its web presence at the-witness.net.[2][4] Notable aspects of Thekla include its emphasis on design-driven puzzles, cross‑platform releases, and partnerships with major industry players for distribution and tooling (credits show collaborations with companies such as Valve, Google, and Epic tools on various projects).[5] Today Thekla remains a small, independent studio focused on high‑quality, intellectually ambitious games and has maintained a niche but influential reputation in the game and tech communities.[4][5]