Acclaim was once an incredibly important company within the games industry, and it soon became legendary after being founded in 1987 for helping to publish titles such as Mortal Kombat, Turok, and NBA Jam. After more than two decades, Acclaim is making a return and has come back with a bold and brave mission in the face of a tumultuous industry.
The publisher is making a comeback with a focus on supporting indie developers, as well as helping to reignite beloved classic franchises. In this, Acclaim will provide the necessary resources which includes funding, marketing and PR support to independent studios that otherwise wouldn’t have been given the opportunity to do so in a highly saturated and chaotic market.
One of the main goals Acclaim will have going forward is to resurrect some classic IP out there that has been enjoyed over the years by a global audience. To be able to make this work, Acclaim has assembled an advisory board with some of the most esteemed industry leaders, such as Russell Binder at Striker Entertainment, Mark Caplan at Ridge Partners, and Jeff Jarrett at Global Force Entertainment.
To ensure the longevity of the company going forward, Acclaim has key partners in Phil Toronto, Partner at VaynerFund, and Eric Vogel, Partner at JET Management, which will help the publishing company foster a healthy investment environment for everyone involved.
“For more than three decades, I’ve had the privilege to have been a 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 ’80s and ’90s,” says two-time Hall of Fame wrestler Jeff Jarret. “From my early involvement with the publisher’s 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 impart the same degree of passion and love to a new generation, and I’m excited to be involved.”
In addition to these industry legends, Alex Josef is spearheading the relaunch of Acclaim as CEO, an industry veteran who has over two decades of experience in marketing and game publishing across PC, console, and mobile.
“It’s an absolute honor and pleasure to be leading the charge in bringing Acclaim back to the forefront of the games industry,” said Alex Josef. “We’re fortunate that we have an extremely talented team and that we’ve already signed some incredible indie titles, which we’ll be revealing soon.”
The website for Acclaim has its missions at the forefront, as well as a tab for its games, which will be coming soon.
