Broken Sword
Rokky Shifts From Distributing to Publishing With Broken Sword Push Into China
The game distributor's new co-publishing deal with Revolution Software marks its first publishing venture after years handling titles for Sony, Capcom, and Team17.
A Co-Publishing Bet on Chinese Adventure Fans
Game distributor Rokky has signed a co-publishing agreement with Revolution Software to bring the Broken Sword franchise to China. Under the deal, Rokky takes on marketing, translation, localisation, influencer outreach, and community management — a broader mandate than the company has previously held. Revolution Software founder and creative director Charles Cecil said the studio is "delighted to be co-publishing with Rokky, who bring enormous experience," adding that the partnership aims to "deliver this game to Chinese players and grow our fan base in the east."
Two Classics, Rebuilt for Chinese Players
Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged and the upcoming remaster of The Smoking Mirror will launch in both simplified and traditional Chinese. The remastered editions feature redrawn backgrounds, over 30,000 reanimated character sprites, and enhanced audio. Cecil noted that a community of Chinese enthusiasts has long urged the studio to localise and publish the series in China, and that during the reforging process Revolution invited gamers from China and around the world to play early builds and offer feedback, which the studio "enthusiastically incorporated."
From Distributor to Publisher
Rokky's partnership with Revolution Software marks the company's first foray into publishing. Until now, Rokky has operated as a distributor, handling PC titles for publishers including Sony, Capcom, and Team17. CEO and founder Vadim Andreev acknowledged the distinction: "Publishing a game is an entirely different task requiring a different skill set. It brings with it new challenges, but these are challenges we are excited to tackle." The company's China distribution team will transition into an official publishing unit to support the effort.
Local Knowledge as a Competitive Edge
Andreev pointed to Rokky's years of presence in the Chinese market as the foundation for the move. "The Chinese gaming market is massive, and success requires deep local insight into player behaviour and distribution — knowledge that Rokky has cultivated through years of presence in the region," he said. The company has experienced "particularly strong growth" in China in recent years, a trajectory Andreev told GamesIndustry.biz positions Rokky to "learn and continue to grow" as it enters the publishing field.
A Steam Tool Launched Weeks Before the Deal
Last month, Rokky launched an unofficial Steam tool that lets publishers and developers monitor whether distribution Steam keys have been redeemed. The tool arrived weeks before the Revolution Software partnership was announced, suggesting Rokky has been expanding its technical capabilities alongside its publishing ambitions. The company's move into both tooling and publishing signals a broader strategic shift beyond pure distribution.
Source material: gamesindustry.biz — this piece is based on that published source material.
