A key purpose of the move is to improve the company’s access to sales statistics. Arberth’s Noel Bruton explains “It’s a business management issue. We felt we needed a fuller and more detailed picture of quantities pressed and sold through various routes. In retaking the rights, we become the main source of product and the sole rights owner for the US, Canada and Mexico, so we can monitor the channels more directly.”

The company also hopes to be able to normalize the recently erratic US supply position on ‘Rhiannon’, which has seen a number of US sellers currently offering the title at vastly inflated rarity-value prices, and another openly offering product imported from Europe. Bruton points out, “We want North American retailers and players to know they can easily get ‘Rhiannon’ from ourselves, in a box or by download, with player support, legally and for a reasonable price. Our Website gives details.”

‘Rhiannon’ was Arberth’s first game, and the company now wants to move to another level of business maturity. Bruton continues, “We believe that direct market intelligence will be crucial to planning for both the design and distribution of future products. Particularly with the recent changes to the business environment for PC games, the traditional routes to market are less assured - and with our new game ‘Coven’ on the way, we want to make better informed strategic decisions on how best to deliver our products to players.”