Plug In Digital
Plug In Digital is a French video game publisher and distributor. They were founded in 2012 and publish mid-market games for personal computers and consoles under the label Dear Villagers (formerly Playdius), such as The Forgotten City and Caravan SandWitch. Plug In Digital also owns two development studios: Celsius Online (since 2023) and PixelRatio (since 2025).
 | |
Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | January 18, 2012 |
| Founder | Francis Ingrand |
| Headquarters | France Paris (2012-2019) Montpellier (2019-Present) |
| Services |
|
| Subsidiaries |
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| Website | plugindigital.com dearvillagers.com |
Plug In Digital is a French video game publisher and distributor. They were founded in 2012 and publish mid-market games for personal computers and consoles under the label Dear Villagers (formerly Playdius), such as The Forgotten City and Caravan SandWitch. Plug In Digital also owns two development studios: Celsius Online (since 2023) and PixelRatio (since 2025).
History
[edit]Francis Ingrand founded Plug In Digital in 2012 in Paris. Seven years later, they relocated to Montpellier. They initially focused on assisting studios and video game publishers with digital distribution.[1] They handle sales, marketing, and other distribution issues.[2] They expanded into China in 2019.[3] They acquired Black Shell Media's publishing operations in 2021 and took over their contracts.[4] They announced an NFT program in 2022 but canceled it due to a backlash.[5] In 2023, they acquired game development studio Celsius Online.[6] In 2025, they acquired PixelRatio, a development studio based in Spain.[7]
Subsidiaries
[edit]In 2017, Plug In Digital established Playdius, a subsidiary specializing in publishing independent video games for personal computers, mobile devices, and game consoles.[8] Playdius was renamed to Dear Villagers in 2019, citing a desire to better communicate their focus on the core and hardcore demographics.[9] As part of this rebranding, Dear Villagers refocused on PC and consoles, though they said they may publish mobile ports of existing games.[10] New mobile games are published directly by Plug In Digital instead, coinciding with the opening of an office in Shanghai. Games published by Dear Villagers aim for an AA (mid-market) budget.[11] Hardcore Gamer described games published by Dear Villagers as having gameplay that is easy to learn but hard to master.[12]
PID Games was established in 2020 and was sunsetted in 2025. According to the brand manager, they had "no rules" and focused entirely on publishing any interesting video games, regardless of genre, nationality, or platform. Compared to Dear Villagers, they were open to publishing a new developer's first game or inexpensive mobile games.[13] The label was shut down in 2025 to give more focus to Dear Villagers, but new projects corresponding to PID Games' formula can still be published under Plug In Digital's umbrella.
Awards
[edit]Some games published by the company were nominated at industry events, such as The Forgotten City which was a candidate for Game of the Year and Best Debut Game at the 2022 BAFTA, while Caravan SandWitch was awarded two Pégases, one for Best First Game and the other for Best Indie Game.
Games published
[edit]Dear Villagers
[edit]- A Normal Lost Phone[2]
- Astria Ascending[5]
- Ashwalkers: A Survival Journey[14]
- Away: Journey to the Unexpected[15]
- BAFL: Brakes Are For Losers[16]
- Big Helmet Heroes[17]
- Boiling Bolt[18]
- Born of Bread[19]
- Bury Me, My Love[11]
- Caravan SandWitch[20]
- Chroniric XIX[21]
- Dead in Vinland[22]
- The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos[23]
- Edge of Eternity[11]
- Fabledom[24]
- The Forgotten City[1]
- Fort Solis[25]
- Guayota[26]
- Hover[11]
- Impulsion[27]
- Jengo[28]
- Machinika: Atlas[29]
- Mindcop[30]
- Naheulbeuk's Dungeon Master[31]
- Neurovoider[2]
- Old School Musical[32]
- Pankapu[2]
- Recompile[11]
- Revita[33]
- Souldiers[34]
- Somewhere: The Vault Papers[35]
- Spirit Mancer[36]
- Spitkiss[21]
- ScourgeBringer[5]
- Splasher[37]
- Sports: Renovations[38]
- Star Overdrive[39]
- Stay[21]
- Strikers Edge[2]
- sU and The Quest for Meaning[2]
- Terra Memoria[40]
- The Land Beneath Us[41]
- Passing By - A Tailwind Journey[42]
- Vampire: The Masquerade – Reckoning of New York[43]
Plug In Digital
[edit]- Dungeon Souls
- The Fan[46]
- Overture
- Raining Blobs
- SanctuaryRPG
- John Mambo[47]
- Mad Tracks[a][48]
- Serial Cleaner[49]
PID Games (2020-2025)
[edit]- Abandon Ship[50]
- Alba: A Wildlife Adventure[13]
- An Ankou[51]
- Alt-Frequencies (Switch)[52]
- Bibots[13]
- Blon[53]
- Cassiodora[54]
- Crypto Against All Odds[55]
- Elypse[13]
- Epistory: Typing Chronicles[56]
- Fireball Wizard[57]
- Ghost of a Tale (PS4 and Switch)[52]
- Gravity Circuit[13]
- Guardians of Elderon[58]
- Guild of Ascension[59]
- Healer's Quest[60]
- Heck Deck[61]
- Hellslave[62]
- Iris and the Giant (Switch)[52]
- Lempo[13]
- Let Me Out[63]
- Letters: A Written Adventure[64]
- Lords of Exile[65]
- Lost Eidolons (PS5, Xbox Series X/S)[66]
- Lost Words: Beyond the Page (iOS, And)[67]
- Machinika Museum[68]
- Mari and Bayu - The Road Home[69]
- My Museum: Treasure Hunter[70]
- Out of Space (PS4, Xbox One, Switch)[71]
- Paper Beast (Windows)[52]
- PictoQuest (Switch, Win, iOS, Android)[72]
- Pompom: The Great Space Rescue[73]
- Post Human W.A.R.[74]
- Roto Force[75]
- Run: The World In-Between[76]
- Saviorless[13]
- Shape of the World[77]
- Sigma Theory (iOS, And, Switch)[78]
- Simulakros[79]
- Skábma: Snowfall[13]
- Tacape[80]
- Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion[73]
- Unmemory[52]
- Vernal Edge[13]
- Yono and the Celestial Elephants[81]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Plug In Digital published a Steam version in March 10, 2020
References
[edit]- ^ a b Takahashi, Dean (2021-11-24). "The Forgotten City publisher Plug In Digital raises $75M for indie games". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ a b c d e f Dring, Christopher (2017-03-08). "Plug In Digital forms indie publishing label Playdius". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Valentine, Rebekah (2019-02-14). "Plug In Digital raises $2.25 million for expansion to Asian markets". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Dealessandri, Marie (2021-02-01). "Plug In Digital acquires Black Shell's catalogue". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ a b c Whitehead, Thomas (2022-02-25). "Plug In Digital Withdraws From Project Focused On Cryptocurrencies And NFTs". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Morris, Iwan (2023-03-15). "Plug In Digital acquires FTP developers Celsius Online". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Ingrand, Francis (2025-03-10). "Plug In Digital acquires PixelRatio Studio". Plug In Digital. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ Cowley, Ric (2017-03-08). "Plug In Digital launches indie publishing label Playdius for all platforms including Switch". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Taylor, Ivy (2019-02-28). "Playdius re-brands as Dear Villagers". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Chapple, Craig (2019-02-28). "Updated: Publisher Playdius rebrands as Dear Villagers". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ a b c d e Batchelor, James (2019-03-04). "Dear Villagers: 'We're trying to find the best indie games that could be AA'". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Soto, Fran (2019-05-07). "Dear Villagers Shows Us that Quality Development is About Fundamentals". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dealessandri, Marie (2022-11-22). "PID Games: The 'punk' indie publisher giving small studios their first chance". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2021-03-14). "Ashwalkers: A Survival Journey launches April 15". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Cox, Matt (2019-02-05). "Wot I Think - Away: Journey To The Unexpected". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2018-04-03). "BAFL: Brakes Are For Losers for Switch launches April 19". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2025-02-06). "Big Helmet Heroes". Samsam. Retrieved 2026-01-29.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2017-11-23). "Shoot 'em up Boiling Bolt launches December 5". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2023-08-30). "Born of Bread delayed to fall". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2024-08-06). "Caravan SandWitch launches in September". Gematsu. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
- ^ a b c Robertson, Kieran (2019-07-25) [2018-08-24]. "Playdius is releasing Chroniric XIX, Stay, and Spitkiss this year and they look brilliant". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Fuller, Alex (2018-03-06). "Dead in Vinland to Release in April". RPGamer.com. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2021-03-11). "The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos coming to PS4, Xbox One, and Switch this summer". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2023-03-29). "Fabledom launches in Early Access on April 13". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2023-06-27). "Fort Solis launches August 22". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ "Guayota launches August 13". Gematsu. 2024-07-18. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
- ^ "Impulsion". IGN. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Stevens, Colin (2018-03-30). "GDC 2018: Playdius' Musical, Nordic, Jolly, Exceptionally Eclectic Line-Up". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ "Machinika: Atlas now available". Advemture Gamers. 2024-09-20. Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
- ^ Mayhew, Lindsay (2024-09-05). "Dear Villagers will be publishing non-linear whodunnit detective game Mindcop". Digitally Downloaded. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ "Naheulbeuk's Dungeon Master Announced". Blue's News. 2023-06-11. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2018-08-16). "Retro rhythm game Old School Musical for Switch, PC launches September 13". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2022-03-11). "Revita launches April 21 for Switch, PC". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2022-05-06). "Souldiers delayed to June 2". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ "Somewhere: The Vault Papers". Adventure Gamers. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2024-09-27). "Spirit Mancer launches November 7 [Update: Delayed to November 22]". Gematsu. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
- ^ "Splasher". Gamepressure. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2024-08-19). "Renovation simulator Sports: Renovations to be published by Dear Villagers for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2024-08-27). "Sci-fi open-world action adventure game Star Overdrive announced for Switch". Gematsu. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ Fuller, Alex (2023-06-10). "Turn-Based RPG Terra Memoria Announced". RPGamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "The Land Beneath Us Released". Blue's News. 2024-05-13. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ "Take to the skies with Passing By - A Tailwind Journey". Adventure Gamers. 2024-02-17. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2024-09-03). "Vampire: The Masquerade – Reckoning of New York launches September 10". Gematsu. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ AG Staff (2024-09-17). "Caravan SandWitch: A adventure commences". Adventure Gamers. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ IGN Staff (2025-04-10). "Star Overdrive". IGN. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ Marks, Tom; Prescott, Shaun (2018-07-29). "Five new Steam games you probably missed this week". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "John Mambo". Jeuxvideo. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ ShawnS (2020-03-08). "Delisted from Xbox 360, Mad Tracks returns on Steam in 2020". Delisted Games. Archived from the original on 2020-04-04. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
- ^ Morris, Iwan (2024-11-28). "Serial Cleaner tasks you with cleaning up crime scenes while under the influence of a moustache". www.pocketgamer.com. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
- ^ Dellosa, Catherine (2022-04-13). "Abandon Ship, the popular naval strategy game on PC, is coming to mobile with pre-orders now open". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Fuller, Alex (2023-08-05). "Action Roguelike An Ankou Coming to Steam Early Access This Month". RPGamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ a b c d e Romano, Sal (2020-11-05). "Plug In Digital announces new games label PID Publishing". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Nelson, Jared (2021-08-10). "Charming and Robust Auto-Running Platformer Blon Available for Pre-Order Ahead of September 7th Launch". TouchArcade. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Cassiodora". IGN. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Crypto Against All Odds". Jeuxvideo.com. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Epistory: Typing Chronicles". IGN. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
- ^ Dellosa, Catherine (2023-06-21). "Fireball Wizard lets you hurl magic at foes across a retro platformer, out now on mobile and Steam". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Guardians of Elderon". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Fuller, Alex (2021-09-22). "Guild of Ascension Out Now". RPGamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Fuller, Alex (2021-02-08). "Healer's Quest Launching on Switch". RPGamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Botadkar, Tanish (2021-11-11). "Heck Deck is an ambitious hybrid of a card game and bullet hell shooter, available now for pre-registrations on Android and iOS". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Fuller, Alex (2022-05-15). "Dungeon-Crawler Hellslave Launching This Month". RPGamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Let Me Out". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Letters: A Written Adventure". IGN. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Lords of Exile". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2023-08-03). "Lost Eidolons for PS5, Xbox Series launches August 24". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Dellosa, Catherine (2023-03-09). "Lost Words: Beyond the Page will soon let mobile gamers experience its emotional tale when it launches on May 9th". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Dellosa, Catherine (2022-05-04). "Machinika Museum adds new puzzles and more in latest content update for the machine-themed mystery puzzle game". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2023-02-16). "Mari & Bayu: The Road Home for Switch launches March 9". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "My Museum: Treasure Hunter". IGN. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ Romano, Sal (2020-11-06). "Out of Space: Couch Edition coming to PS4, Xbox One, and Switch on November 25". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "PictoQuest: The Cursed Grids". Gematsu. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ a b Dellosa, Catherine (2023-01-02). "Pompom: The Great Space Rescue lets you control the platforms instead of the hero, now open for pre-registration". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
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- ^ Donlan, Christopher (2023-07-20). "Roto Force review - a frantic twin-stick bursting with imagination". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Run: The World In-Between". IGN. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Shape of the World". IGN. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
- ^ Madnani, Mikhail (2022-10-18). "Tactical Espionage Game 'Sigma Theory' From Mi-Clos Studios Is Out Now on iOS". TouchArcade. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Simulakros". IGN. Retrieved 2024-12-21.
- ^ Dellosa, Catherine (2023-03-01). "Tacape is a new roguelite card battler that's out now on iOS and Android via PID Games". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ "Yono and the Celestial Elephants". IGN. Retrieved 2024-12-21.