Black Forest Games, the developer behind the Destroy All Humans remakes, has become independent through a management buyout from THQ Nordic. The Offenburg studio is also the founding member of Third Signal, a new group focused on premium PC and console games.
The move was announced on 11 November, ending an ownership arrangement that began when THQ Nordic acquired the studio in 2017. Black Forest’s management team becomes a co-owner of Third Signal alongside Third Signal Ventures, putting the developers back on the ownership side of the business.
There is still a working relationship with THQ Nordic, however. The announcement says the companies will continue collaborating on game development tasks, so independence does not mean every existing connection has been thrown out of the nearest flying saucer.
Third Signal’s stated aim is to give experienced teams independence, resources and creative freedom. Black Forest’s leadership also refers to an upcoming project, although the announcement does not name it or provide a release date. For now, this is news about who controls the studio and how its next chapter will be organised, rather than a game reveal hiding behind a company logo.
For players who recognise the games more readily than the company name, Black Forest’s back catalogue includes Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, Fade to Silence and Rogue Stormers. Its alien-invasion work includes the Destroy All Humans remake and Destroy All Humans! 2: Reprobed, with the latter sending Crypto into a 1960s setting and offering local split-screen co-op.
The news was spotted through VGC and checked against Third Signal’s public announcement, reproduced by MCV/DEVELOP. You can also browse the team’s previous work on Black Forest Games’ official site, while we wait to see what that newly independent future actually puts on our screens.